OUR MOVEMENT IN MOTION
May 29, 2025


SECTION 1: News and Announcements

+ HARM REDUCTION KNOWS NO BORDERS/LA REDUCCIÓN DE DAÑOS NO CONOCE FRONTERAS: At the Harm Reduction International (HRI) Conference in Bogotá, Colombia, NHRC staff participated in panel presentations, moderated sessions, and chatted with attendees at the NHRC booth. National Director of Capacity Building and Engagement, Tanagra Melgarejo, along with comrades from Puerto Rico, organized a Global South and North Latine/x gathering where over 100 participants named the need to connect and advocate together to make Latine/x communities in harm reduction and drug policy more visible.

We are grateful to HRI for hosting and supporting NHRC during this conference and the vibrant and inspiring plenary sessions. HRI25 uplifted the critical role and leadership of the Global South in changing the course of the colonial wars waged against people who use drugs along with the many other communities and lands impacted by the so-called "War on Drugs," which continues to have the harshest impacts on Indigenous, Black, and other poor people across continents.

En la Conferencia Internacional sobre Reducción de Daños (HRI25) en Bogotá, Colombia, el personal de NHRC participó en presentaciones de paneles, moderó sesiones, y conversó con los asistentes en nuestro stand de la Conferencia. Nuestra Directora Nacional de Capacidades y Participación, Tanagra Melgarejo, junto con compañeres de Puerto Rico, organizó un encuentro de persones latine/x del Sur y del Norte Global, donde más de 100 participantes destacaron la necesidad de conectar y abogar juntes para visibilizar la participación de la comunidades latines/x en la reducción del daño y en políticas de droga.

Agradecemos a HRI por acoger y apoyar a NHRC durante esta conferencia y por las vibrantes e inspiradoras sesiones plenarias. HRI25 destacó el papel crucial y el liderazgo del Sur Global para cambiar el curso de las guerras coloniales libradas contra las personas que consumen drogas, así como contra tantas otras comunidades y territorios afectados por la llamada "Guerra Contra las Drogas," que sigue infligiendo graves consecuencias para las personas indígenas, negras y en situación de pobreza en todos los continentes.


+ OVERDOSE PREVENTION CENTERS ADVOCACY: Overdose prevention centers (OPCs) in the U.S. and around the world have saved lives, improved public health, and supported the well-being of people who use drugs across communities. Study after study shows just how life-saving and effective these centers are. Right now, there are only a few OPCs operating in the country. We must — and we can — do better.

NHRC's Housing and Shelter Capacity Building Coordinator, Alixe Dittmore, and LGBTQIA+ Health & Harm Reduction Manager, Taylor Edelmann, testified in support of OPCs in Connecticut, one of several states where legislation has been introduced to establish these centers and/or pilot programs.

As Alixe shared, "You don't have to work at an overdose prevention center to pass the law for it to come into existence. I'm not trying to convince everyone to be 100% wholeheartedly behind it like I am. I am asking you for the availability and the option to allow everyone who has come here today who does this work and knows how to do it to do that work. We are the experts in this and we need you to allow us to do this."


+ MOMS AND MOTHER FIGURES DESERVE MORE: We have lost far too many mothers and mother figures to preventable overdoses and other harms and violence caused by the so-called "War on Drugs," aka a war on people. They should be here. Because of this war on people, too many mamas spent this past Mother’s Day stuck behind bars. They should be with us, too.

While Mother's Day may have been a celebration for many, our hearts are with those who continue to feel a void without their mother or mother figure. We're sending our love your way, and will continue working to support the health and well-being of mothers, their families, and all people.


+ EMBODY HARM REDUCTION PRINCIPLES EVERY DAY: Now, possibly more than ever, NHRC's Principles of Harm Reduction are necessary to ground ourselves with reminders of how and why we do the life-saving work we do. This past International Harm Reduction Day and every day, we name the importance of embodying these principles and keeping those most impacted by overdose — people who use drugs — at the center of our work and heart of everything we do. We must move together, with people who use drugs leading the way. To read the full Principles of Harm Reduction on our site and see how you can apply this to your work, click here.

Link: bit.ly/HarmReductionPrinciples


+ VENDING MACHINES DISTRIBUTING HARM REDUCTION EQUIPMENT EXPAND REACH/LAS MÁQUINAS EXPENDEDORAS QUE DISTRIBUYEN EQUIPOS PARA LA REDUCCIÓN DE DAÑOS AMPLÍAN EL ALCANCE: Vending machines can provide additional opportunities for SSPs and other harm reduction organizations to connect people who use drugs to life-saving harm reduction equipment, including naloxone, fentanyl test strips, and hygiene items. NHRC, in collaboration with our partners at RTI International and the North American Syringe Exchange Network (NASEN), have created fact sheets in Spanish and English highlighting the experiences of 12 Syringe Services Programs (SSPs) that have implemented vending machines. The fact sheets include information about funding sources, challenges and opportunities, advantages, etc. Access the fact sheets here to learn more.

Las máquinas expendedoras pueden brindar oportunidades adicionales para que los SSP y otras organizaciones de reducción de daños conecten a las personas que consumen drogas con equipos de reducción de daños que salvan vidas, como naloxona, tiras reactivas de fentanilo y artículos de higiene. NHRC, en colaboración con nuestros socios de RTI International y la Red de Intercambio de Jeringas de América del Norte (NASEN), han creado hojas informativas en español e inglés que destacan las experiencias de 12 Programas de Servicios de Jeringas (SSP) que han implementado máquinas expendedoras. Las hojas informativas incluyen información sobre fuentes de financiación, desafíos y oportunidades, ventajas y más. Obtenga más información sobre los hallazgos aquí.

Links/enlaces:
bit.ly/VendingMachinesforHarmReduction
bit.ly/MáquinasExpendedorasparalaReduccióndeDaños


+ NATIONAL SURVEY OF SYRINGE SERVICES PROGRAMS LAUNCHED: Calling all Syringe Services Programs (SSPs) — we need your feedback! NHRC, in collaboration with the North American Syringe Exchange Network (NASEN) and RTI International, launched the 2025 National Survey of Syringe Services Programs (NSSSP) on March 4. Tracking SSP budgets and other data over time helps us advocate for more resources. Participating programs will be mailed a $125 check after completing the survey. Check your inbox for an email invitation from Lynn Wenger via [email protected] and review the FAQs for more information, available in English and Spanish. Respond today with your experiences!

Links:
[link removed]
[link removed]


+ IN CASE YOU MISSED IT — SUPPORT OVER PUNISHMENT: The International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC) is ramping up planning for its annual "Support. Don’t Punish Global Day of Action" campaign, taking place June 26, 2025. Learn more here.

Link: [link removed]


+ ACTION ALERT: Drug Policy Alliance (DPA) has created an email prompt to share with elected officials to urge them to stop cuts to life-saving Medicaid and essential health services. Take action here.

Link: [link removed]


+ CONFERENCES AND EVENTS: 

-The National Drug Early Warning System (NDEWS) will host a summit at the College on Problems of Drug Dependence (CPDD) 86th Annual Scientific Meeting in New Orleans, LA, on June 14, 2025, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. CT. Learn more about the summit here. 

Link: [link removed]


-REMINDER: The California Native Harm Reduction Summit, a collaborative effort between the California Consortium for Urban Indian Health (CCUIH) and California Rural Indian Health Board (CRIHB), is happening June 23 through June 25, 2025, in Monterey, California. Learn more and register here.

Link: [link removed]


-DPA is hosting the last session of its four-part virtual panel series, "New Drugs and Markets: Meeting the Challenge of a Changing Drug Policy Landscape." Missed the first few? Check out the recordings here. The remaining session, "Scaling Up Drug Checking, Envisioning Safe Supply, and Exploring New Horizons," is happening today at 3 p.m. ET.

Links:
[link removed]
[link removed]



+ NEWS: Trump proposed cuts raise concerns about substance [use] programs — We cannot afford to lose more loved ones to preventable overdoses. Stripping funding from life-saving services, programs, and treatment will further wreak havoc on communities across the country navigating through the overdose epidemic.

"'It will devastate the entire framework of care and network of services,' said Laura Guzman, executive director of the National Harm Reduction Coalition…'Labeling harm reduction as 'dangerous' is so dangerous because what harm reduction has done for over 30 years is save lives,'" as reported by My NBC5.

Content note: Some problematic/stigmatizing language used in coverage.

Link: bit.ly/NoHealthCareCuts


+ NEWS: California Gov. Newsom Plans New Crackdown on Encampments — We should be working collectively to ensure folks have a safe, stigma-free place to lay their head at night — not criminalizing people for being houseless, which is exacerbated by systems that perpetuate poverty and housing inaccessibility nationwide. In California, additional "crack-downs" on houseless encampments are ramping up, despite the fact that these sweeps lead to more deadly overdoses, other public health harms, and cut people off from support systems and communities they've built.

NHRC's Executive Director, Laura Guzman, told Filter, "It’s perpetuating the criminalization of people despite the lack of shelter and housing, which are the true ways to end homelessness. This ordinance allows cities to continue sweeping encampments — it makes people sicker and some will die."

Link: bit.ly/CAEncampments


+ NEWS: Hawaii Legislature Overturns 'One-to-One' Restriction on Syringe Exchange — Any steps made in the work to end overdose, improve community health, and uplift the needs of people who use drugs are a step in the right direction. We're happy to share news out of Hawai'i where legislation passed authorizing Syringe Services Programs (SSPs) to distribute sterile syringes as needed — moving away from strict limitations of the amount of syringes program participants can receive.

Should this officially become law, as Filter noted, this would mean Florida is the only state to require the one-to-one model, where participants receive one sterile syringe for each used one they return "rather than some version of the needs-based model recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention."

Link: bit.ly/HISyringeExchange


+ NEWS: Moms With Loved Ones Lost To Overdose Call For Prioritizing Health — No one should lose their child to overdose, and being a member of the community that has lost their kids to overdose is a group no one wants to be a part of. We know there are far too many moms who are grieving the loss of their child, and lift up the work of a group of mothers who've been speaking out in support of health care — not punishment — for people who use drugs.

"'I have spent the last 13 Mother's Days missing a piece of my heart,' said Tamara Olt, M.D., Executive Director of Broken No More, an organization that helps thousands of mothers through the grief of overdose loss. 'My 16-year-old son, Joshua, died of a heroin overdose on April 29th, 2012…I believe that taking a public health approach that seeks to support, not punish, people who use drugs is crucial to ending the overdose crisis,'" coverage via KRON 4 News noted.

The piece continued, "The personal experiences of these mothers underscore the human cost of the overdose crisis, making their advocacy all the more compelling."

Link: bit.ly/MomsForHealth


+ NEWS: Trump administration praised 'life-saving' naloxone, then proposed cuts — When funding for life-saving harm reduction services — including naloxone distribution — is on the line, so are people's lives. Proposed federal funding cuts to critical programs and services serving people who use drugs are deadly.

Via The Washington Post: "'Overall, everyone’s reaction was: This is going to increase death,' said Alixe Dittmore, who works for the National Harm Reduction Coalition, a nonprofit whose mission is to lessen drug-related harms."

Link: bit.ly/NaloxoneFundingCuts


+ NEWS: Campaign aims to make Naloxone more accessible to Black communities — Systemic barriers including racism continue to lead to disparities not only in overdose rates, but in accessing life-saving harm reduction tools including naloxone. A new campaign from Vital Strategies and the Kentucky Harm Reduction Coalition is working to shift that by making naloxone more accessible in Black communities, with the tagline, "You Have the Power to Save Lives."

Executive Director of the Kentucky Harm Reduction Coalition, Shreeta Waldon, told Spectrum News 1 Kentucky it's crucial to collaborate with organizations doing harm reduction work on the ground, naming that, "You don’t get to talk about harm reduction without having us at the table."

Link: bit.ly/VitalStrategiesKYCoalitionCampaign




SECTION 2: Emergent and Exciting Work

+ CELEBRATING THE FIRST-EVER CHEMSEX AWARENESS WEEK/CELEBRANDO LA PRIMERA SEMANA DE CONCIENTIZACIÓN SOBRE EL CHEMSEX: NHRC’s Lighthouse Learning Collective, in collaboration with Building Healthy Online Communities (BHOC), launched the first-ever Chemsex Awareness Week mid-May, a campaign to promote sexual health and harm reduction strategies for queer and trans people having chemsex. Check out the Lighthouse and BHOC Instagram handles to see and hear more, including hot tips, personal stories, and resources.

Lighthouse Learning Collective del NHRC, en colaboración con Building Healthy Online Communities (BHOC), lanzó la primera Semana de Concientización sobre el Chemsex a mediados de mayo, una campaña que promovió la salud sexual y las estrategias de reducción de daños para las personas queer y trans que consumen chemsex. Echa un vistazo a las cuentas de Instagram de Lighthouse y BHOC para ver y escuchar más, ¡incluyendo consejos, historias personales y recursos!

Links:
www.instagram.com/hrc_lighthouse/
www.instagram.com/bhocpartners/

Enlaces:
www.instagram.com/hrc_lighthouse/
www.instagram.com/bhocpartners/



+ RESOURCES AND REPORTS:

-JAMA Network published its findings, "Fentanyl Test Strip Use and Overdose Risk Reduction Behaviors Among People Who Use Drugs," which suggested use of these test strips "is associated with overdose risk reduction behaviors, demonstrating the role of FTS as a harm reduction strategy" among people who use drugs.

Link: [link removed]


-"Medicaid Unwinding and Changes in Buprenorphine Dispensing,” as published via JAMA Network, outlines how "Medicaid unwinding" was related to "disruptions in buprenorphine therapy, raising concerns about the potential for increased opioid-related morbidity and mortality." Read the investigation here.

Link: [link removed]


-As outlined in this Contagion Live piece, findings published via JAMA Network showed that, "Hepatitis C virus (HCV) testing in pregnant women increased significantly over time after the universal hepatitis C screening guidelines were updated in 2020." See the findings recap here.

Link: [link removed]


-In research as published by Health Affairs, researchers found that life-saving Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUDs) are rarely initiated in emergency department settings. See the publication here, which analyzes disparities.

Link: [link removed]


-Drug and Alcohol Dependence published the evaluation, "Naloxone distribution amidst shifting drug use patterns: Insights from a needs-based syringe services program," which looked at naloxone distribution in California within a needs-based SSP. Read the communication piece here.

Link: [link removed]


-NHRC’s Online Learning Center includes on-demand courses, including Foundations of Harm Reduction, Overdose Prevention and Response, Engaging People Who Use Drugs, and more. NHRC also offers free modules for NYC residents in English and Spanish, which cover safer use, stimulants 101, and wound care. ¡Chequea los nuevos módulos en Español sobre Uso Seguro, Estimulantes 101, y Cuidado de Heridas!

Links:
[link removed]
bit.ly/NYCHarmReduction


-NHRC requests organizations add or update their information on the Naloxone Finder map in an effort to ensure the resource is up-to-date. To add a new program, click here. To update existing program information on the map, please fill out this form. We appreciate your support in spreading the word about these life-saving materials!

Links:
[link removed]
[link removed]
[link removed]


+ FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES:

-The Mosaic Opioid Recovery Partnership (Mosaic) is offering grants to "organizations leading local initiatives to address critical gaps in care for children and families impacted by the opioid crisis," with an application deadline of June 17, 2025 for the grant period beginning in November. Learn more and apply here.

Link: [link removed]


-The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation has issued an Emergency Grant Cycle for programs in preparation for forthcoming federal funding gaps. Organizations with a focus area in transgender HIV services and wellness support and women and youth wrap-around health services are encouraged to apply. Applications are open through May 31, 2025. Read more about the opportunity here.

Link: [link removed]


+ TRAININGS AND WEBINARS:

-NHRC's Lighthouse Learning Collective's series is back! The series features dynamic, thought-provoking sessions designed to inspire and equip attendees with actionable knowledge to deepen their engagement with harm reduction to better support queer and trans people who use drugs and engage in sex work. Mark your calendar for the next and last session of the series, "Navigating Rough Waters: Essential Skills for Transforming Interpersonal Conflict," taking place June 6 from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. ET. During this free session, we’ll provide meaningful frameworks rooted in transformative justice for interpreting and navigating conflict with community. We'll include an introduction to essential skills for navigating conflict, and participants will be invited to share questions and scenarios during the workshop. ASL and Spanish interpretation will be provided. See more about Lighthouse, including previous webinar recordings, here.

Links:
bit.ly/LLS2025-5
harmreduction.org/our-work/action/lighthouse-learning-collective/


-NHRC, in partnership with the Overdose Response Network (ORN), is hosting a multi-part training series with subject matter experts for harm reduction and medical/clinical providers. To sign up for the next session, "Role of Structural Determinants of Health on Access and Availability to Services" happening July 16, 2025 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. ET, click here. Stay tuned for more upcoming webinars with ORN!

Link:
bit.ly/ORNJuly16


-NHRC is hosting a webinar series specifically designed for California SSPs. The series will cover a range of topics, including compassionate overdose response, California Department of Public Health (CDPH) billing, harm reduction foundations, and CDPH harm reduction supplies distribution. The remaining trainings, all held at 12 p.m. PT this year, are "Harm Reduction Supplies Distribution Overview" on July 8 and "Can I Bill for That?!" on October 14. For more information, email [email protected].

Links:
[link removed]
[link removed]


-FOUNDATIONAL FRIDAYS: NHRC is thrilled to continue offering monthly Foundational Fridays training sessions, which focus on building basic knowledge about various intersectional public health issues. The free sessions, running from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. ET the last Friday of each month, are for providers, peers, and anyone in the harm reduction community as well as anyone looking to learn more about the field. To sign up for tomorrow’s session, "Drugs 101," click here. To sign up for the July 25 session, "Harm Reduction 101," click here. Stay tuned for updates about our latest Foundational Fridays series! For more information, contact Jose Martinez at [email protected]. 

Links:
bit.ly/2025FoundationalFridaysDrugs101
bit.ly/2025HarmReduction101


-NHRC is collaborating with the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Massachusetts chapter and the RIZE Massachusetts Foundation for a three-part webinar series, "Building Safer Spaces: Harm Reduction in Action." The sessions will include free CEUs. Sign up for the webinars here.

The sessions are on Tuesdays as follows:

-"Co-Occurring Disorders, Trauma, and Addiction," June 3, 2025, 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. ET
-"The Psychopharmacology of Drugs," June 10, 2025, 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. ET
-"Working with Survivors of Sexual and Intimate Partner Violence: Redefining Trauma through a Harm Reduction Framework," June 24, 2025, 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. ET

Link: [link removed]


-The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) is hosting its webinar, "Addressing Benzodiazepine Tapering Challenges," on Monday, June 2, 2025, from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. ET. Register for the free session here.

Link: [link removed]



If you support emergent and exciting work at National Harm Reduction Coalition, please join our community of monthly donors, the Harm Reduction Champions! Become a Harm Reduction Champion today.

Link: [link removed]



SECTION 3: Work for the Movement

+ Black Lives Matter (BLM) Paterson is searching for a Harm Reduction Specialist (part-time).

Link: [link removed]


+ Challenges, Inc. SC Harm Reduction Services is seeking summer interns.

Link: [link removed]


+ Denver Access Point is searching for a Prevention Services Coordinator.

Link: [link removed]


+ DPA is seeking a Movement Building Manager and a Federal Policy Manager.

Links:
[link removed]
[link removed]


+ Face to Face/The Sonoma County AIDS Network is searching for a Bilingual Prevention Specialist.

Link: [link removed]


+ OnPoint NYC is hiring for multiple roles, including:

-Certified Medical Assistant

Link: [link removed]

-Harm Reduction Specialist — Outreach and Public Safety Team (OPST)

Link: [link removed]

-Harm Reduction Specialist

Link: [link removed]

-Harm Reduction Specialist — Winnebago

Link: [link removed]

-MAT Navigator — HUB

Link: [link removed]

-Naloxone Associate

Link: [link removed]

-Overdose Prevention Specialist — Consumer Led Model, Washington Heights

Link: [link removed]

-Overdose Prevention Specialist — Medical Model, East Harlem

Link: [link removed]

-Part-time Holistic Health Specialist

Link: [link removed]

-Part-time Registered Nurse

Link: [link removed]

-Responsible Person in Charge (RPIC)

Link: [link removed]

-Site Supervisor — Winnebago

Link: [link removed]


+ San Francisco AIDS Foundation is hiring a Health Educator.

Link: [link removed]


+ Thrive for Change is looking for a Harm Reduction Specialist.

Link: [link removed]


+ VOCAL-NY is hiring a Drug Policy Campaign Coordinator and Community Organizer (Harm Reduction & Drug Policy Reform).

Links:
[link removed]
[link removed]



Hiring? Send us a note about open positions in harm reduction to [email protected] to have a job post shared here.


National Harm Reduction Coalition
243 Fifth Avenue
Box 529
New York, NY 10016
United States

unsubscribe: [link removed]