OUR MOVEMENT IN MOTION
October 30, 2025


SECTION 1: News and Announcements

+ NHRC EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR HONORED: NHRC’s Executive Director, Laura Guzman, was one of four honorees at the San Francisco Latinx Democratic Club (SFLDC) at their Seguimos Adelante — 45th Year Anniversary Event at the Brava Theater in San Francisco, California. Laura received the Community Impact Award from Michael Rouppet, SFLDC vice president of political affairs, who said at a time when Latine/x folks, "are under attack by the federal government, our resistance is more critical than ever," noting the club, "wanted to recognize those who are making the biggest impacts."

As named by SFLDC as part of the honors, Laura grew up in Argentina during the Argentinian Military Junta (1976-1983), which was part of what fueled her social justice work.

Laura said, “In spite of 30,000 people being killed or missing, my passion for freedom and loving others was ignited. No matter how much pain and trauma there is, I have resilience. We need to listen to people and understand where there are intersections. We have an important moment to challenge racism and classism, and use our collective asks to increase access to treatment.”


+ LAS AMÉRICAS: As Las Américas — traditionally known as Hispanic Heritage Month/Latiné/x Heritage Month — came to a close, we reminded folks about the importance of celebrating Latiné/x heritage all year long! Check out our Las Américas learning series recordings, where we shone a spotlight on Latinx/é and Caribeñe harm reductionists. The series was designed to recognize the significant contributions of Latinx/é and Caribeñes that made harm reduction history possible as well as the harm reduction movement in the U.S. and the global south, fostering an inclusive and equitable environment for harm reduction and overdose prevention efforts among Latinx/é and Caribeñe communities. Activities included virtual panels, honoring both established and emerging Latinx/é and Caribeñe harm reductionists, and ensuring language justice through comprehensive translation services from English into Spanish and Spanish into English. Check it out here.

Con el cierre del mes de Las Américas, tradicionalmente conocido como el Mes de la Herencia Hispana/Latina/x, ¡les recordamos la importancia de celebrar la herencia latina/x durante todo el año! Vean las grabaciones de nuestra serie de aprendizaje de Las Américas, donde destacamos a las personas latinas y caribeñas que promueven la reducción de daños. La serie se diseñó para reconocer las importantes contribuciones de las personas latinas y caribeñas que hicieron posible la historia de la reducción de daños, así como el movimiento de reducción de daños en Estados Unidos y el hemisferio sur, fomentando un entorno inclusivo y equitativo para la reducción de daños y la prevención de sobredosis entre las comunidades latinas y caribeñas. Las actividades incluyeron paneles virtuales, homenaje a defensores de la reducción de daños latinx/e y caribeñe, tanto consolidados como emergentes, y la garantía de la justicia lingüística mediante servicios integrales de traducción del inglés al español y del español al inglés. Consúltelo aquí.

Link: bit.ly/NHRCYouTube


+ NHRC CONDEMNS CORPORATE GREED: NHRC applauds the work of New York State Attorney General Letitia James in holding the makers of Opvee — an incredibly dangerous overdose reversal medication — accountable and reigning in corporate greed.

NHRC's Executive Director, Laura Guzman, said, "Naloxone works and saves lives. We do not need ‘higher-dose’ overdose reversal medications like Opvee. These so-called ‘stronger’ overdose reversal medications are at best unnecessary — and at worst, can lead to more fatal overdoses as people experiencing excruciating withdrawals from Opvee turn to using more drugs to manage their pain."

She continued, "No company should be exploiting people to profit off the overdose epidemic. Every day, we are losing our loved ones to preventable overdose deaths. We must expand life-saving harm reduction programs and services, including naloxone distribution — 4 milligrams or less — to communities that need it most. Lives depend on it."

Read the full press release here.

Link: bit.ly/NYAGOpvee


+ CELEBRATING NATIVE WISDOM: This past Indigenous Peoples' Day and every day, we honor the original caretakers of the land — Natives who have been performing harm reduction practices and other life-saving work for centuries. Indigenous Peoples’ Day is a reminder of how important it is we lift up the needs, expertise, and wisdom of Native and Indigenous communities. Check out our Native Harm Reduction Toolkit, which was imagined and created by Arlene Brown, member of the Bishop Paiute Tribe, with support from NHRC staff and informed by Tribal and Urban Native people from across California. Through this toolkit, we aim to bring together resources from Indigenous harm reduction leaders from across the country and beyond.

Link: bit.ly/NativeHarmReductionToolkit


+ HONORING OUR BELOVED LATE COLLEAGUE LILL: NHRC’s beloved late colleague, Lill Prosperino, was honored by Healing Appalachia in collaboration with TruthPharm during the Raising Lazarus Awards. These awards uplift and celebrate people who have advocated for people who used/used drugs’ health, hope, and individual recoveries.

As noted by the organizations who honored Lill in memoriam, "Lill was a fearless harm reductionist whose work across Appalachia and beyond uplifted marginalized voices and saved countless lives. Their legacy of love, inclusion, and advocacy will continue to guide this movement for years to come." See more here.

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+ ALL ARE WELCOME HERE: Staff from NHRC's Lighthouse Learning Collective supported the development of a new guide by and for TGNCNB (Transgender, Non-conforming, Non-binary) folks that will help new New Yorkers get connected to the services, spaces, and care they need. The guide was published by the New York State LGBT Health and Human Services Network (The Network) through the TGNC Advisory Committee. NHRC's LGBTQIA+ Health & Harm Reduction Manager, Taylor Edelmann, serves as the chairperson on the committee, and Jessenia Fanini, NHRC's NYC capacity building coordinator, is a member. As more people move to New York seeking safety, healthcare, and affirming spaces, organizations like ours that make up The Network are collaborating to ensure New Yorkers have what they need. For over three decades, this coalition of over 60 organizations have dedicated their work to improving the health and well-being of LGBTQ+ communities across the state. Together, this collective has ensured access to vital physical, mental, and social services for LGBTQ+ New Yorkers.

Click here to view the TGNC New Arrivals Guide and get connected with community organizations that will make the move to N.Y. affirming. The Network is proudly administered by the NYC LGBT Community Center. To learn more about The Network and the organization that helps make this guide and all of the work possible, click here.

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+ CARE AND SYSTEMIC CHANGE IS SUICIDE PREVENTION: Suicide Prevention Month served as a stark reminder of our collective responsibility to dismantle oppressive systems and build a world in which people have what they need to live full, healthy, safe, authentic lives. Together, we can and must usher in this new world where people are cared for and radical love is the norm.


+ IN CASE YOU MISSED IT, NHRC IS ON BLUESKY: NHRC has joined the Bluesky party! We're thrilled to share yet another way folks can follow us for more news, announcements, resources, and more from the harm reduction movement and interconnected public health and social justice work. Follow along here.

Link: bit.ly/NHRCBluesky


+ ACTION ALERT REMINDER: Tell Congress to protect PrEP and preventive care! Sign to support life-saving health care and our communities here.

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+ CONFERENCES AND EVENTS: 

-Join us at Drug Policy Alliance’s Reform Conference! NHRC's Capacity Building and Hepatitis C Coordinator, Jose Martinez, who also manages NHRC's PeerUp program, will facilitate an affinity group gathering, "The Resurrection of the Peer Workforce" on Friday, November 14, 2025, from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. at classroom 140B. There’s still time to register for the conference, which runs from November 12 through November 15, 2025, in Detroit, Michigan. Learn more and register here. We hope to see you there!

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-The International Network on Health and Hepatitis in Substance Users (INHSU) is hosting a Hepatitis C Intervention Symposia Series, where attendees will learn strategies to enhance HCV service delivery including point-of-care testing, telehealth, integrated HCV care in SSPs, peer support and navigation, dried blood spot testing, and more. Register for the remaining sessions through the links below, and reach out to [email protected]  with any inquiries.

–Baltimore, Maryland — November 2, 2025
–Washington, D.C. — November 7, 2025

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+ NEWS: Federal Marijuana Reform Must Include Immigrant Justice — Immigrant justice, bodily autonomy, and justice for people who use drugs are all deeply interwoven issues. Together, we must continue to fight for these interconnected human rights.

As noted via Filter, "For decades, marijuana criminalization has created a multitude of harms—from saddling people with arrest and conviction records that make it harder to find a job and access benefits, to denying patients medical benefits. Black and Brown people have been disproportionately impacted by these harms due to targeted enforcement, and these communities experience higher arrest and incarceration rates, despite similar drug usage across racial groups.

For immigrants, marijuana criminalization has created a direct path to deportation. This exacerbates the renewed fear among immigrant communities in today’s political climate—and with reason. Among those deported in 2025 so far, over 600 individuals are known to have had marijuana-related charges as their most serious conviction—a number that’s likely an undercount. Three-quarters of those convictions occurred at least five years ago."

Link: bit.ly/ImmigrantJusticeMusts


+ NEWS: Officials want to halt city funds for 'drug-tolerant' housing — Housing is a human right, and must be respected as such. Policies that prevent people from having access to shelter and housing are immoral, much like one proposed in California and similar legislation creeping up nationwide.

"Laura Guzman, executive director of the National Harm Reduction Coalition, called the legislation 'obscene,' saying it threatens the rights of tenants and aligns San Francisco with the Trump administration, which is expected to shift roughly $2 billion from permanent housing to transitional housing, according to reporting from POLITICO.

'It’s not only sad, it’s terrifying, and it’s wrong,' Guzman said. 'They’re trying to use the housing funding we fought for 30 years to get and use it for treatment facilities. They need to find other mechanisms to do that,'" this coverage in The San Francisco Standard notes.

Link: bit.ly/HousingFirstSavesLives


+ NEWS: Restricting mobile health vans in Philadelphia will lead to more overdose deaths — It's simple: The more accessible life-saving harm reduction services are, the more lives we will save from the overdose epidemic. Restricting or removing lifelines in the hardest-hit communities is wrong.

"Patients who might avoid hospitals or doctors' offices because of past mistreatment—an exceptionally common experience for people who use drugs—might be willing to accept naloxone from a familiar outreach worker. That small act of trust may also allow the patient to receive wound care and, perhaps later, a discussion about treatment options," this piece in Reason Foundation notes.

Link: bit.ly/MobileHealthVansBan


+ NEWS: A Loss of Faith in Drug Treatment — A senior medical director for substance use at Mass General Brigham and medical director for the Mass General Hospital program for substance use and addiction services shares how her views on forced treatment changed over time through her work, via this New York Times piece.

"People forced into treatment are often treated like prisoners, yet their only 'crime' is having an illness. This experience can fracture trust and worsen trauma. Data from Massachusetts, where this practice is common, shows poor outcomes. An evaluation of patients sent to forced treatment found that at one year all patients had relapsed. An evaluation of 9,464 people forced into treatment found they were 2.2 times more likely to die from an overdose and 1.9 times more likely to die from any cause compared to those in voluntary treatment," she notes.

She continued, "We have effective treatments that remain underresourced and inaccessible. Why would we invest in problematic strategies that increase risk of death when we can channel our compassion, urgency and funding into solutions that save lives and improve health?"

Link: bit.ly/ForcedDrugTreatmentDoesntWork


+ NEWS: Oklahoma's harm reduction programs have helped hundreds with addiction. They’re at risk of ending — Saving lives from preventable overdoses is a moral imperative, and a cost-effective one. We deserve more investments in life-saving health care for all, not less.

"Research has shown that harm reduction programs can help reduce disease and death, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC]. But the groups have battled perceptions that harm reduction programs, especially those that supply clean needles, enable drug use," this piece in The Oklahoman notes.

Link: bit.ly/OKHarmReductionFunding


+ NEWS: The radical plan to prevent overdoses with better drugs — Prohibition has never kept people safe, and has caused more deaths from toxic supply. This has been true throughout history.

"The government already regulates and allows the sale of one of the most deadly substances in the world: alcohol. Nyx points out that during prohibition in the United States, people didn’t stop drinking, they simply started dying from alcohol contaminated with other chemicals. Heroin, fentanyl, meth – why is it any different?...She envisions a future in which heroin and every other drug are handled similarly to alcohol: regulated, free from impurities, legal and available to the public. She does not see any other way out of the crisis. Everything else people have tried has simply not worked," this piece in The Guardian names.

Content note: Use of problematic phrase in coverage.

Link: bit.ly/SafeSupplySavesLives





SECTION 2: Emergent and Exciting Work

+ STRENGTHENING RURAL HARM REDUCTION: NHRC hosted a series of community engagement and train-the-trainer sessions across Wyoming, reviving vital harm reduction work in a frontier state in which people have long faced barriers to access and support. Through the sessions, which were facilitated by NHRC Consultant Courtney Titus in collaboration with NHRC National Director of Capacity Building and Engagement Tanagra Melgarejo and NHRC’s Housing and Shelter Capacity Building Coordinator (O-PHRESH) Alixe Dittmore, folks from across the state gathered to deepen their skills in overdose prevention, safer supply strategies, data-informed outreach, and community organizing for harm reduction in rural contexts. Attendees included public health workers, behavioral health professionals, peer advocates, and other community members. The Wyoming Department of Health and several local organizations provided invaluable partnership and support for the event, which laid the foundation for a growing statewide harm reduction network and ongoing collaboration leading up to the Wyoming Harm Reduction Summit in June 2026.


+ DOPE TRAIN-THE-TRAINER SESSIONS/SESIONES DE FORMACIÓN DE CAPACITADORES EN PREVENCIÓN DE SOBREDOSIS: NHRC’s DOPE Project hosted a train-the-traner session with staff from DISH SF, Instituto Familiar de la Raza, Larkin Street Youth Services, Mission Graduates, Gubbio Project, and more at NHRC’s California space. Through the sessions, hosted in Spanish, Latiné/x harm reduction workers and others in interconnected social justice movements deepened their knowledge of overdose prevention and intervention best practices to share with Latiné/x communities.

El Proyecto DOPE de la NHRC organizó una sesión de formación de capacitadores con personal de DISH SF, el Instituto Familiar de la Raza, Servicios Juveniles de Larkin Street, Mission Graduates, el Proyecto Gubbio y otros en el espacio de la NHRC en California. A través de las sesiones, impartidas en español, les trabajadores de reducción de daños latine y otras personas en movimientos interconectados de justicia social profundizaron sus conocimientos sobre las mejores prácticas de prevención e intervención en casos de sobredosis para compartirlas con las comunidades latines de la Bahia.


+ ALL IN FOR IOAD: NHRC's Director of Capacity Building and Community Mobilization, Mike Selick, joined Team Sharing Vermont and Vermont Harm Reduction Advocates as they gathered to grieve those we've lost to the overdose epidemic and honor their memory. The group commemorated International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD) at City Hall Park in Burlington, and continues advocating for policy change to save lives from overdose well beyond IOAD.



+ RESOURCES AND REPORTS:

-NHRC is excited to launch two additional online modules free for NYC residents, LGB/TGNCNB 101 and Stigma 101! These modules are self-paced and take approximately 90 minutes. LGB/TGNCNB 101 is a module that explores health disparities LGB/TGNCNB people who use drugs and engage in sex work face, dispels myths, and provides strategies for affirming care. Stigma 101 is a module that explores stigma's roots, forms, and impact and offers tips to help create change. Learn more about the rest of our NYC online courses here, and see our full online learning center here.

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-As outlined in this Infectious Disease Advisor overview, a study shows HIV infections are projected to rise — in some cases nearly 50% — with funding cuts to Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program. Read more about the findings here.

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-A New England Journal of Medicine study supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that treating SUD (substance use disorder) in jails saves lives from overdose deaths and improves engagement during treatment, among other successes. The study found, "individuals who received medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) while incarcerated were significantly more likely to continue treatment six months after release than those who did not receive MOUD. The study also found that receiving MOUD in jail was associated with a 52% lower risk of fatal opioid overdose, a 24% lower risk of non-fatal opioid overdose, a 56% lower risk of death from any cause, and a 12% lower risk of reincarceration after release. These outcomes underscore the importance of providing MOUD treatment during incarceration."

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-JAMA Network shared a research letter that looked at nicotine pouch use, believed to be the first research of its kind. The findings showed. "the highest prevalence of current and daily nicotine pouch use was among adults with a history of tobacco use who had recently quit, suggesting that nicotine pouches may have played a role in their cessation."

Cristine D. Delnevo, director of the Rutgers Institute for Nicotine and Tobacco Studies, said, "Our results suggest that adults may be using nicotine pouches for harm reduction given that use is highest among those that have recently quit another tobacco product or e-cigarettes."

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-A piece published via Health Affairs shone a light on the People with Lived(-ing) Experience as Researchers (PLER) Board, which notes, "The PLER Board’s approach to research on substance use differs from the traditional model because it envisions PWLLE as leaders of research teams, seeing projects from start to finish to produce accurate, policy-relevant research on substance use disorders." Read more about the group, including how it’s supported the empowerment of people who use drugs particularly in research settings here.

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-The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services named that life-saving harm reduction programs cut down on hospitalizations and emergency department visits as well as prevented hepatitis C cases in a new modeling study. As shared in a press release about the fundings, "'Our modeling shows that the more we increased investments in harm reduction programming the more lives we saved, with more than 550 Michigan lives saved in 2024 alone with naloxone,’'said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, chief medical executive. 'These are not just statistics, they are our neighbors, our family members and our friends.'"

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-"Examining trends in polydrug overdose deaths across rural Midwest counties in the United States, 2022 through 2024," as published in the Drug and Alcohol Dependence journal, showed racial disparities in overdose rates that found, "American Indian overdose mortality remained 6 times higher than whites," and overdose rates increased slightly for Black populations over the same time period despite an overall decline in deaths.

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-Research as shared by the International Journal of Drug Policy found that, like the title of this commentary, "Stronger isn’t always better" when it comes to overdose response medications. The commentary also focuses on the issues with band-aid public health solutions.

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-Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health researchers published a study that shows how people who use drugs not only respond to a growingly more dangerous and changing drug supply, but are very knowledgeable about the impacts of the supply, how to stay safer, and how to support others using drugs. As noted in this overview, "'We found that people who inject drugs are not indifferent to the risks they face,' said lead author Abigail Winiker, PhD, MSPH, an assistant scientist in Health Policy and Management and program director for the Bloomberg Overdose Prevention Initiative. 'They are making conscious decisions every day to protect their health, whether that’s testing a small dose, avoiding injecting alone, switching to less risky methods of use, or sharing safety information with peers. These are intentional harm reduction strategies grounded in knowledge and a desire to stay safe.'"

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-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!

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+ FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES:

-The Comer Family Foundation is providing grants to support syringe services programs (SSPs) and other community-based harm reduction programs to advocate for "the health and wellness of people who use drugs." Criteria for the grants require that, "Eligible applicants must be 501(c)(3) organizations or have a fiscal sponsor and must have operated syringe or harm reduction services for at least one year." The deadline to apply is November 1, 2025. Learn more here.

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-The Mosaic Opioid Recovery Partnership (Mosaic) Municipal Matching Grant application in Massachusetts is now open, with applications due November 7, 2025. Learn more in English here and more in Spanish here.

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-Safe States Alliance is offering funding to organizations that would implement a virtual version of North Carolina’s Injury-Free Academy, an initiative that "focuses on using a shared risk and protective factors approach to prevent injury and violence in a new state." Learn more and apply here by the application deadline on Nov. 21, 2025.

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+ TRAININGS AND WEBINARS:

-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, "Safer Injecting 101," click here. To sign up for the November 21 session, "Sex Work 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/2025SaferInjecting101
bit.ly/2025SexWork101




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.

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SECTION 3: Work for the Movement


+ Black Lives Matter (BLM) Paterson is searching for a Harm Reduction Specialist (part-time), Harm Reduction Specialist (full-time), and a Lead Program Manager of Harm Reduction.

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+ Charm City Care Connection is seeking a Development and Communications Director.

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+ DPA is searching for a California Policy Manager.

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+ The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene is looking to fill several positions, including:

-Assistant Director of Special Projects and Naloxone Distribution
-Assistant Director of Training Initiatives
-Assistant Director of Data and Technical Assistance

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+ North Carolina Harm Reduction Coalition is seeking a Chief Operating Officer and a Cumberland County LEAD Program Coordinator.

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+ OnPoint NYC is hiring for multiple roles, including:

-Associate Director of Low Threshold Services

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-Creative Arts Therapist

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-Data Specialist

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-Drop-In Center Shift Supervisor

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-East Harlem Supportive Services Manager

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-Hepatitis C (HCV) Care Coordinator

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-Mental Health Counselor/Social Worker

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-Navigation Specialist

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-Part-time Registered Nurse

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-Senior Director of Programs

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-Supportive Services Navigator

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+ PATH (People Assisting the Homeless) is searching for a Harm Reduction Specialist.

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+ The People’s Harm Reduction Alliance (PHRA) is looking for an Ostrich Bay Mobile Outreach Worker.

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+ Project Renewal is seeking a Registered Nurse Manager for Drug User Health Services.

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+ San Francisco AIDS Foundation is hiring a Health Educator.

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+ Western North Carolina AIDS Project (WNCAP) is seeking board members.

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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

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