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The Baltimore Student Harm Reduction Coalition Overdose Education and Naloxone Distribution

Provides opioid overdose response training and naloxone kits to potential witnesses of overdoses

Centered in Baltimore through the Baltimore Student Harm Reduction Coalition (BSHRC), the Overdose Education and Naloxone Distribution (OEND) program provides free one-hour trainings on recognizing overdoses and administering naloxone.

Participants receive naloxone prescriptions and kits and information on harm reduction, Maryland opioid policy, and legal rights. Participants include peers and families of opioid users, as well as health care professionals.

BSHRC is a student-founded and community-based organization that supports harm reduction services and advocacy. It is composed of health- and social justice–oriented Baltimore-area graduate and undergraduate students, recent graduates, and other community members dedicated to improving health among Marylanders made vulnerable by drug use, sex work, overdose, sexual minority status, or infectious diseases.

Uniquely run by a coalition of student volunteers

Continuum of Care
Harm Reduction
Type of Evidence
Peer-reviewed
Response Approach
Educational
Overdose prevention
Peer-reviewed Article
Evaluation of the Overdose Education and Naloxone Distribution Program of the Baltimore Student Harm Reduction Coalition
Related Resources
Evidence-Based Strategies for Preventing Opioid Overdose: What’s Working in the United States
Guide to Developing and Managing Overdose Prevention and Take-Home Naloxone Projects
SAMHSA Opioid Overdose Prevention Toolkit
A Systematic Review of Community Opioid Overdose Prevention and Naloxone Distribution Programs
Distinguishing signs of opioid overdose and indication for naloxone: an evaluation of six overdose training and naloxone distribution programs in the United States
A Systematic Review of Harm Reduction Strategies
A Review of the Impact of Safe Injection Sites as an Effective Harm Reduction Strategy

Evidence of Program Effectiveness

"In its first 8 months, BSHRC, a small organization with 1 paid staff member, was able to reach 285 participants and received reports of 3 successful overdose reversals through trainings at various community-based locations. Trainings were effective at increasing self-efficacy surrounding overdose prevention and response, which appears to persist at 8 to 12 months following the survey. It is uniquely run by a coalition of student volunteers, which saves costs and has the additional impact of engaging students in community health. This model may become relevant in other jurisdictions and states as more states legalize third-party prescription of naloxone." (Lewis et al., 2016)