This is an academic paper that provides an evaluation of a harm reduction-oriented, low threshold model to deliver buprenorphine in federally qualified health center in Philadelphia that primarily cares for the underserved. There is also the feature of group-based visits and a person-centered approach. This model resulted in increased patient access and retention.  

This is an academic paper which discusses the results of a peer recovery support service telephone intervention that aimed to encourage enrollment in medication for opioid use disorder, and decrease the risk for recurring opioid overdoses. The targeted population in this study was individuals who had had an opioid overdose in the last six months, and the intervention received provided personally tailored opioid overdose prevention education and naloxone distribution. The study found that participants who received the intervention were significantly less likely to experience a recurring opioid overdose compared to participants who did not. 

This report from the Comer Family Foundation provides the rationale for using syringe service programs (SEPs) in addressing the opioid crisis.

It includes a guidebook that introduces community members to the basics of SEPs, identifies the need for them in certain at-risk communities, and provides guidance on what should be considered when establishing these programs.

There is a relevant list of harm reduction resources at the end of the document. 

This is a report from Shatterproof that discusses opioid use disorder (OUD) stigma and how it has exacerbated the opioid crisis. Types of stigma are highlighted as well as factors from other successful stigma campaigns (e.g. HIV, mental health). Evidence-informed interventions are presented with a focus on what Shatterproof plans to do to reduce OUD stigma. 

This is a policy brief from the Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE) that gives an overview of the scope of the opioid crisis, discusses treatment options, and gives a summary of federal and state-level initiatives responding to this public health emergency. There is a special emphasis on the role of health education specialists in the opioid crisis.

This is a joint report by the National League of Cities and the National Association of Counties that is targeted to local leaders as well as state and federal officials, and which provides recommendations for solutions on the entire continuum of care.

This is a primer and toolkit from RTI International which helps to develop, implement, and evaluate an overdose education and naloxone distribution program in a jail setting. Stakeholder collaboration and logistics are discussed in detail, and previously implemented program models and existing protocols are highlighted. 

Framing the opioid crisis from a public health perspective requires considering the interaction of multiple determinants, including structural factors (eg, poverty and racism), the inadequate management of pain, and poor access to addiction treatment and harm-reduction services (eg, syringe services). 

This novel ecological framework for harmful opioid use provides multiple recommendations to improve public health and clinical practice, including improved data collection to guide resource allocation, steps to increase safer prescribing, stigma-reduction campaigns, increased spending on harm reduction and treatment, criminal justice policy reform, and regulatory changes related to controlled substances.

This is an academic paper that provides a scoping review of opioid policy interventions that the federal and state governments as well as organizations have used to address the opioid crisis, some of which include prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMP), pain clinic laws, laws restricting opioid prescribing, health insurance strategies, educational interventions, and naloxone distribution. The evidence for each intervention is assessed.  

Safe injection sites (SISs) are a harm reduction strategy that is being explored and have been implemented in some jurisdictions in Canada. 

This report summarizes the literature assessing the impact and effectiveness of SISs as a harm reduction strategy. SISs are successful in engaging high-risk and marginalized individuals who use substances, including regular and long-time users, individuals experiencing homelessness and those who were previously incarcerated.

SISs facilitate access to health and social services, reduce syringe sharing and public syringe disposal, as well as prevent on-site fatal overdoses. Establishing a SIS requires consultation of a wide range of stakeholders (e.g. the public, police, health and social services, and people who use substances) throughout the process. 

This paper reviews research on the operation and effectiveness of community-based multidisciplinary outreach teams that connect an opioid overdose victim to healthcare resources. The information on how teams are organized and the services they link to will be of interest to communities seeking to provide timely care to overdose victims.

This is an academic paper that gives an overview of all of the opioid overdose prevention programs targeting criminal justice-involved populations in the peer-reviewed literature. Themes are identified that can inform future programs and policies.