OUR MOVEMENT IN MOTION
April 24, 2025


SECTION 1: News and Announcements

+ NHRC SPOTLIGHT: NHRC’s Executive Director, Laura Guzman, and Capacity Building and Training Development Manager, Melissa Matheney, were photographed at NHRC’s San Francisco office by Alexa "LexMex" Treviño, portrait photographer and artist, who also works as a San Francisco Standard photographer. The office is utilized by NHRC’s DOPE (Drug Overdose Prevention and Education) Project for storing life-saving naloxone as part of its distribution work and in-person and virtual trainings.


+ END THE SO-CALLED DRUG WAR: The so-called "War On Drugs," more accurately described as a war on people — particularly Black, Indigenous/Native, Latine/x and other People of Color folks — leads to death, harmful public health outcomes including the spread of bloodborne infections like HIV/AIDS and hepatitis C, and the separation of loved ones. On 4/20, we reminded folks that it doesn't have to be this way, and it shouldn't be this way. Evidence-backed public health approaches including harm reduction have proven over several decades to keep people alive, safer, and healthier. A world without the destruction of the so-called "War On Drugs" is possible, and we'll continue working to make it happen.


+ TRANS RIGHTS ARE NOT UP FOR DEBATE: Trans rights are human rights — this is not debatable. This past Trans Day Of Visibility (TDOV) and every day after that, we stand firm in our commitment to creating a world where trans people can live their lives free from violence, harassment, exclusion, and fear — where their dreams, aspirations, expertise, creativity, and joy are unimpeded. Our collective destinies depend on it. On TDOV each year and always, we must uplift the voices, needs, and lived experiences of Black, Indigenous/Native, Latine/x, and other People of Color trans folks in particular, across the harm reduction movement and beyond. Visit our website to see our resources by/for LGBTQIA+ folks via NHRC's Lighthouse Learning Collective.

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+ WOMEN'S 'HERSTORY' MAKES HARM REDUCTION POSSIBLE: Without women, particularly LGBTQIA+ women, harm reduction would cease to exist. The harm reduction movement and interconnected social justice movements are what they are today because of the tireless advocacy and care of women across the globe. While we celebrated this past Women's History (Herstory) Month in March and paid homage to those who came before us, we were reminded of the futures women make possible by saving lives, improving public health, fostering community, and daring to dream big to build a safer, healthier world for all — every day.


+ 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!

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+ 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.

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+ GENDER-AFFIRMING HARM REDUCTION TOOLKIT FOR SSPS NOW AVAILABLE IN SPANISH/REDUCCIÓN DE DAÑOS CON ENFOQUE DE AFIRMACIÓN DE GÉNERO AHORA DISPONIBLE EN ESPAÑOL: NHRC’s Lighthouse Learning Collective’s resource "Gender Affirming Harm Reduction: A Toolkit for Syringe Service Programs" is now available in Spanish! This toolkit was created with Trans Equity Consulting and is designed to help organizations strengthen engagement with Transgender, Non-Conforming, and Non-Binary (TGNCNB) communities. Lighthouse has dedicated this work in memory of trans visionary Cecilia Gentilli, who supported Lighthouse’s vision for the project.

The toolkit includes:
-An organizational assessment to identify areas for improvement and growth
-Key information on chemsex, overdose response and prevention, sex work, more inclusive sexual health stories and more
-Self-reflection questions to guide understanding
-Resources to keep learning and expand knowledge

We thank viento izquierdo ugaz and ari jáuregui for their beautiful translation and for helping us find amazing resources in Spanish.

El recurso, Reducción de Daños con Enfoque de Afirmación de Género: Caja de herramientas para programas de servicios de jeringas, ¡ya está disponible en español! Esta caja de herramientas ha sido creada colaborativamente por Trans Equity Consulting y está diseñado para ayudar a las organizaciones a fortalecer el compromiso con las comunidades transgénero, género no conforme y no binarias (TGNCNB, por sus siglas en inglés). Lighthouse ha dedicado este trabajo en memoria de la visionaria trans Cecilia Gentili, quien apoyó la visión de Lighthouse para el proyecto.

La caja de herramientas incluye:
-Una evaluación organizativa para identificar áreas de mejora y crecimiento
-Información clave sobre chemsex, respuesta y prevención de sobredosis, trabajo sexual, historias de salud sexual más inclusivas y más.
-Preguntas de autorreflexión para facilitar la comprensión
-Recursos para seguir aprendiendo y ampliar conocimientos

Agradecemos a viento izquierdo ugaz y ari jáuregui por su hermosa traducción y por ayudarnos a encontrar increíbles recursos en Español.

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+ CONFERENCES AND EVENTS: 

-NHRC’s LGBTQIA+ Health & Harm Reduction Manager, Taylor Edelmann, who manages NHRC’s Lighthouse Learning Collective, will be presenting at the Transformative TGNCNB Health & Wellness Summit in Albany, New York happening May 9, 2025. He will facilitate the session, "Harm Reduction is Trans Care: Tools for Thriving, Not Just Surviving" in which topics include exploring harm reduction through a trans lens and offering tools for safer drug use and care. Attendees will leave with a personalized harm reduction safety plan to support autonomy, wellness, and joy. Click here to learn more and register.

Link: bit.ly/nytagsummit


-NHRC AT HRI 2025: Several folks from NHRC will be at Harm Reduction International’s conference in Bogotá, Colombia, including staff who will present across several different tracks during the event. Stay tuned for our conference recap!


-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.

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-In case you missed it: The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) is hosting its 56th annual conference and associated pre-conference courses and workshops, starting today and running through April 27 in Aurora, CO. Learn more here.

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-Drug Policy Alliance (DPA) is hosting a four-part virtual panel series, "New Drugs and Markets: Meeting the Challenge of a Changing Drug Policy Landscape," continuing through May. Missed the first two? Check out the recordings here.

The remaining sessions on Thursdays are as follows:
-"Understanding Drug Markets," May 8, 2025, 3:30 p.m. ET
-"Scaling Up Drug Checking, Envisioning Safe Supply, and Exploring New Horizons," May 29, 2025, 3 p.m. ET

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+ NEWS: As Overdoses Climb, Lurie Orders Scaling Back Harm Reduction Programs — Throughout our communities, we have opportunities to save lives and improve community health by utilizing evidence-backed health approaches to end the overdose epidemic. The further we turn away from harm reduction, the more we turn our backs on people who use drugs, their loved ones, and entire communities.

As NHRC Executive Director Laura Guzman shared with KQED News, "'This idea that if you make smoking supplies disappear, people are going to stop using — it’s a smokescreen and really misguided.'"

The story continues, "San Francisco contracts with the DOPE project, a program of NHRC, to distribute Narcan and other harm reduction supplies across the city. 'These directives, unfortunately, are just responding to political perspectives.'"

Link: bit.ly/HarmReductionScaleBackDangers


+ NEWS: Bipartisan health committee members reject limits on syringe service programs — When we follow public health evidence-backed approaches, lives are saved, communities are safer, and we uplift the needs of people most impacted by overdose and drug use — people who use drugs. Time and time again, syringe services programs (SSPs) have shown that not only is the health and well-being of people who use drugs improved through the work of SSPs staff, but entire communities are safer, as these services cut down on the spread of bloodborne diseases and syringe litter. See some of the latest Maine Morning Star coverage from Maine, where a bipartisan health committee rejected legislation that would put lives in danger and make communities less safe.

Link: bit.ly/MESyringeExchange


+ NEWS: Closure of CDC hepatitis lab imperils U.S. outbreak response, prevention — To save lives and improve public health, we must invest in health research and other supportive services including harm reduction programs. Instead, life-saving testing and research is being slashed and halted, and the CDC's hepatitis lab has closed. Hepatitis C and drug use are interconnected, and people who use drugs deserve more support and information — not less.

As noted in this STAT coverage, about 4 million Americans have Hepatitis C, "a disease that can go undetected for years. Another 2.4 million people in this country are chronically infected with hepatitis B, which is the leading cause of liver cancer globally. Hepatitis B is preventable, and hepatitis C is curable. But the U.S. capacity to battle these viral scourges has been leveled a devastating blow with the April 1 closure of the country’s premier testing laboratory for viral hepatitis, experts warned."

Link: bit.ly/HepatitisHealthCareAtRisk


+ NEWS: Oklahoma House votes in favor of Bill extending harm-reduction programs — Harm reduction victories save lives, improve public health, and support the well-being of people who use drugs and entire communities. As we closed out National Public Health Week earlier this month, we uplifted some of the latest in Oklahoma, where a bill passed to extend life-saving harm reduction services.

"Harm-reduction programs are an essential tool in saving lives and protecting public health...These programs not only combat the spread of disease but also provide critical resources for individuals in need. This is a step forward for Oklahoma, as we work to support our communities and provide better access to life-saving services," this coverage via KSWO 7News notes.

Link: bit.ly/OKApprovesHarmReductionPrograms


+ NEWS: As Kentucky makes urban camping a crime, 'homeless court' seeks to avoid punishment — One devastating glimpse of what criminalizing houseless people and poverty leads to: A mother who is houseless, cited by police for "unlawful camping" while in labor. Somehow, it gets worse: She is not believed by police that she is in fact in labor.

How do we get here? We get here by investing in carceral systems instead of public health, housing, and other human rights needs. People who are houseless, whether they use/used drugs or not, deserve housing, not handcuffs. Read more via this Reuters coverage.

Content note: Instance of problematic (stigmatizing) language used in coverage.

Link: bit.ly/StopCriminalizingHouselessPeople


+ NEWS: My husband overdosed on fentanyl. Cruel immigration policies won’t fix the crisis — Enough with the scapegoating of immigrants. To end the overdose epidemic and save lives, we must focus on and invest in public health approaches to drug use and other interconnected health needs. We know evidence-backed harm reduction strategies and programs — including but not limited to overdose prevention centers (OPCs) and Syringe Services Programs (SSPs) — save lives, cut down on HIV/AIDS and hepatitis C transmission, connect people to other health services including treatment, and make entire communities safer. It's way past time we act on this decades-long data and folks' lived experiences.

As this piece in The Guardian shares, "Rather than look to research and to other countries that have addressed the issue, the…administration is using the opioid crisis and families like mine who have lost loved ones to justify ridiculous tariffs, a useless wall and cruel immigration policies when data clearly shows that immigration has very little to do with drug trafficking or drug use. Meanwhile, thousands of Americans – our family, our friends and our neighbors – continue to die every week."

Link: bit.ly/CruelImmigrationPoliciesFail




SECTION 2: Emergent and Exciting Work

+ INTERSECTIONAL HARM REDUCTION TRAININGS: NHRC’s LGBTQIA+ Health & Harm Reduction Manager, Taylor Edelmann, facilitated a Conflict Management and De-escalation training at Alliance for Living in New London, CT, where Alliance for Living staff members learned how to identify conflict and escalation and practiced strategies to support people through de-escalation. Training attendees gained a deeper understanding of the critical role self care plays in avoiding escalation. Interested in having this training or other related harm reduction learning sessions at your organization? Book an NHRC training today!

Link: bit.ly/BookNHRC



+ RESOURCES AND REPORTS:

-Medication for Addiction Treatment & Electronic Referrals (MATTERS) is providing waterproof naloxone wall boxes for organizations in New York to implement in their spaces. To request a box, visit the MATTERS webpage.

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-NIDA Director Nora Volkow shared a blog piece titled, "Advancing reduction of drug use as an endpoint in addiction treatment trials," writing in part that, "...complete abstinence is sometimes not achievable, even in the long-term, and there is a need for new treatment approaches that recognize the clinical value of reduced use."

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-World Hepatitis Alliance has shared the "World Hepatitis Testing Week 2024 Report," which includes impact data and stories of actions folks took during the first-ever World Hepatitis Testing Week held in November 2024.

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-The Lancet HIV published a study that outlines how funding cuts may have impacts on the worldwide HIV response and highlights the, "critical need for sustained global support for HIV programmes." Read the study here.

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-The International Journal of Drug Policy published a research paper titled, "Either way, they will use. And so, probably, would you:" A critical discourse analysis of harm reduction portrayal in United States opinion news media."

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-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 now 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!

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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!

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+ FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES:

-The California Department of Health Care Services and The Center at Sierra Health Foundation are offering two major grants to support community-based opioid and stimulant use prevention and education efforts. Applications are due by May 5, 2025. Learn more here.

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-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.

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+ 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. The remaining planned webinars will be held on Fridays through June, and select sessions may be recorded.

Mark your calendar for the next session of the series, "Chemsex 201," taking place May 2, 2025. During this free session, attendees will learn more about substances, brain chemistry, and the biopsychosocial elements of sexualized drug use. This virtual training will provide attendees with harm reduction techniques applied to interactive cases and group discussion. ASL and Spanish interpretation will be provided. If you signed up for the originally scheduled date, you're all set! See more about Lighthouse and its upcoming sessions, including "Sex Worker-Centered Harm Reduction Frameworks and Practice" happening May 16, here.

Links:
bit.ly/LLS2025-2
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.

The sessions are scheduled for the following dates (registration links and session descriptions included in links below):

-"Harm Reduction Person-Centered Engagement" — May 7, 2025 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. ET
-"Impacts of Mental Health and Substance Use Stigma on Clients/Participants" — May 21, 2025, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. ET
-"Role of Structural Determinants of Health on Access and Availability to Services" — July 16, 2025, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Links:
bit.ly/ORNMay7
bit.ly/ORNMay21
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].

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-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, "HIV/HCV 101," click here. To sign up for the May 30 session, "Drugs 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/HIVHCV2025
bit.ly/2025FoundationalFridaysDrugs101


-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-Occuring 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

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-The Prevention Institute and Big Cities Health Coalition, with partners including ChangeLab Solutions and RTI International, are continuing a webinar series focused on supporting folks making opioid settlement fund decisions. The organizations are working together to support settlement fund work that aligns with public health, prioritizing prevention, and centering the voices of people with lived and living experience with drug use. Register for the webinars here.

The upcoming sessions are as follows:
-Supporting Decision Makers Using Opioid Settlement Funds: Employing Effective Message and Narrative Strategies — Thursday, May 1, 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. ET
-Centering Sustainability in the Planning and Implementation of Local Opioid Settlement-funded Initiatives — Thursday, May 22, 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. ET
-Utilizing the Expertise and Partnership Capacities of Multi-sector Agencies to Support Evidence-based and Collaborative Opioid Settlement Fund Decision Making — Tuesday, June 24, 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET

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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).

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

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+ DPA is seeking a Movement Building Manager and Mid-West Regional Advocacy Campaign Manager.

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+ The Grand Rapids Red Project is looking to fill its Recovery Coach and HIV Medical Case Manager roles, and is also looking for board members.

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+ HRI is searching for two new members for its board of trustees.

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+ OnPoint NYC is hiring for multiple roles, including:

-Certified Medical Assistant

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

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-Harm Reduction Specialist

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-Harm Reduction Specialist — Winnebago

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-MAT Navigator — HUB

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-Naloxone Associate

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-Overdose Prevention Specialist — Consumer Led Model, Washington Heights

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-Overdose Prevention Specialist — Medical Model, East Harlem

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-Part-time Holistic Health Specialist

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-Part-time Registered Nurse

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-Responsible Person in Charge (RPIC)

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-Site Supervisor — Winnebago

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+ San Francisco AIDS Foundation is hiring a Health Educator.

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

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+ VOCAL-NY is searching for a Harm Reduction Drop-in Center Associate.

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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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