This is an academic paper that provides a review of public health messaging related to harm reduction, and calls for these services as being essential during the coronavirus pandemic. The reference list has 60 reports and papers related to the intersection of the opioid crisis and the pandemic.
Harm Reduction Resources
- COVID / Coronavirus related
- Educational
- Overdose prevention
- Safe Injection Site
- Syringe service program / Needle exchange
- Community Coalitions
- Community Health Officials
- Harm Reduction Specialists
- Policymakers
This is a consensus report based on a meeting of experts that provides guidelines to implement best practices in syringe service programs (SSP) related to implementation, operations, data collection, and research/evaluation.
- Syringe service program / Needle exchange
- Advocates / Peers
- Community Health Officials
- Harm Reduction Specialists
This resource guide from SAMHSA explains that the central focus of a recovery-oriented systems of care (ROSC) is to create an infrastructure or system of care with the resources to effectively address the full range of substance use problems within communities. Recovery-oriented activities include providing a menu of traditional treatment services and alternative therapies, including peer recovery coaching, acupuncture, meditation, and music and art therapy.
According to this document, recovery support services, including employment assistance, child care, care management, and housing support, may enhance the engagement of individuals and their families in achieving and sustaining recovery.
- Comprehensive services
- Housing, Education, and Employment
- Recovery coaching
- Addiction Treatment Providers
- Advocates / Peers
- Community Coalitions
- Community Health Officials
- Health Insurers
- Policymakers
This is a report from JBS International targeted towards people who use drugs that provides guidance on navigating the coronavirus pandemic and decreasing risk of overdose, including safe injection practices, access to naloxone, and treatment options.
- COVID / Coronavirus related
- Overdose prevention
- Community Coalitions
- Community Health Officials
- Harm Reduction Specialists
This is an issue brief from the American Medical Association (AMA) that provides regularly updated literature (news articles and reports on the local, state, and federal levels) on the increase in opioid-related consequences due to the coronavirus pandemic.
- COVID / Coronavirus related
- Educational
- Overdose prevention
- Community Coalitions
- Community Health Officials
- Hospitals
- Policymakers
This is a fact sheet from the Harm Reduction Coalition that describes stigma among people who use drugs and ways to reduce that stigma.
- Educational
- Syringe service program / Needle exchange
- Community Health Officials
- Harm Reduction Specialists
This is a toolkit from the ONDCP and USDA that serves as a guide to resources that can help make a difference in rural communities in addressing the opioid crisis and substance use in general. It features a comprehensive funding clearinghouse, interactive tools to assess the opioid problem at the county level, a treatment and services locator, a links to technical assistance and trainings.
- Educational
- Addiction Treatment Providers
- Community Coalitions
- Community Health Officials
- Medical
- Policymakers
This is a toolkit from the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health that provides access to trainings, webinars, informational materials, a report, and other resources to help rural communities prevent overdoses and overdose deaths.
- Educational
- Medications for Opioid Use Disorder
- Overdose prevention
- Addiction Treatment Providers
- Advocates / Peers
- Community Coalitions
- Community Health Officials
- First Responders
- Harm Reduction Specialists
- Hospitals
- Law Enforcement
- Medical
- Pharmacies
- Policymakers
This is a working paper from the Maine Rural Health Research Center (authors Gale, Hansen, and Williamson) and is a qualitative study based on interviews with key stakeholders in Indiana, North Carolina, Vermont, and Washington State that explores promising state and community strategies to tackle the opioid crisis in rural communities and identifies rural challenges to the provision of opioid use disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery services. Specific promising program models are highlighted in this document.
- Cautious Opioid Prescribing
- Comprehensive services
- Medications for Opioid Use Disorder
- Syringe service program / Needle exchange
- Addiction Treatment Providers
- Community Coalitions
- Community Health Officials
- Health Insurers
- Hospitals
- Medical
- Policymakers
A toolkit from Rural Health Information Hub to help organizations implement, evaluate, and sustain prevention and treatment solutions to address substance use disorders. This resource also highlights existing promising programs and models to replicate.
- Early Intervention
- Medications for Opioid Use Disorder
- Overdose prevention
- Recovery coaching
- Syringe service program / Needle exchange
- Addiction Treatment Providers
- Community Coalitions
- Community Health Officials
- Harm Reduction Specialists
- Hospitals
- Medical
- Policymakers
This is a website from the Harm Reduction Coalition that gives information on syringe service programs, provides information on how to establish one of these programs with specific focus on implementing the program in rural areas, and has links to helpful resources.
- Syringe service program / Needle exchange
- Advocates / Peers
- Community Coalitions
- Community Health Officials
- Harm Reduction Specialists
- Policymakers
This is a toolkit from the Rutgers School of Pharmacy that provides educational information on prevention strategies for opioid misuse, opioid use disorder, and opioid overdoses, specifically targeted towards pharmacist and prescribers. There are also supplementary materials that can be used for interventions by a wide array of stakeholders.
- Cautious Opioid Prescribing
- Educational
- Overdose prevention
- Community Coalitions
- Community Health Officials
- Hospitals
- Medical
- Pharmacies