Artwork stating 'Education Destroys Barriers', 'We Demand Treatment', and 'I Need A Chance'

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  • Kentucky Program Supports Inmates With Substance Use Disorder

    First Day Forward provides support and assistance to people with substance use disorders who are reentering the community after incarceration in seven rural counties. The program is driven by peer-support specialists who have lived experience to provide trusting support to those seeking assistance. The program has been shown to work as the recidivism rate for those who’ve successfully completed it has dropped to 23.5%, compared to 53.2% in a nearby county.

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  • The Addiction Recovery Story We Don't Hear Enough

    Women in Recovery is a diversion program for women who would otherwise face prison time for drug-related offenses. The comprehensive program lasts 18 months and helps participants restore their mental health, reunite with their children, develop skills that help them get jobs, secure housing and reenter the community. Women in Recovery helps reduce recidivism rates and 70% of women who start the program complete it and graduate.

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  • Fentanyl Test Strips Are an Easy Way to Save Lives

    Several states are changing their drug paraphernalia laws, making it legal to possess fentanyl test strips which allow those who use drugs to test them for fentanyl. Fentanyl test strips are a means of harm reduction that allows the person to make informed decisions about their drug use in an effort to reduce fatal drug overdoses.

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  • An Overdose Antidote Goes Viral

    Studies show that people who received at least one dose of naloxone following an opioid overdose are 11 times more likely to survive. In response, state policies and community-level programs and organizations are working to make naloxone accessible to those who need it. Today, naloxone can be found in grocery stores, gas stations, provided at events like concerts and community spaces like libraries.

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  • What will it take for Arizona's gay bars to stop overdoses?

    In an effort to combat overdoses in the LGBTQ+ community, some local spaces — like gay bars — are carrying Narcan. While not every gay bar in the area is on board with carrying Narcan, there are several individuals and local organizations working to push these venues to make a change and helping to ensure people who need it can access the potentially life-saving drug if they need it.

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  • A Different Kind of Grief

    Philly HEALs is a free bereavement support program for people who have lost a loved one to a fatal overdose. The program offers grief counseling and peer support groups for families, teens and children, allowing them a safe space to talk about their experiences and find community among others who can relate.

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  • Harm Reduction: Is it saving lives, or helping enable addicts?

    The Virginia Harm Reduction Coalition (VHRC) uses harm reduction strategies to help those suffering from addiction by providing free supplies like overdose reversal spray, safe smoking kits and clean syringes, as well as connection to education and treatment options when people are ready. Those who access services through a harm reduction program are five times more likely to enter treatment programs. Last year alone, the VHRC distributed more than 20,000 doses of Narcan which they know reversed at least 2,000 overdoses.

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  • As Indigenous Youth, We Know Peer Overdose Education Is Vital

    Talk Overdose provides peer-delivered education to youth in seventh to twelfth grade about overdose prevention. The group of teens also provides naloxone training, hosts guest speakers and interactive workshops that teach empathetic listening skills. Talk Overdose was formed in 2021 and has since reached over 1,500 youth across the country and has stated to offer Indigenous culture workshops, as a connection to culture has shown to have a positive impact on mental health and wellbeing.

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  • Peer Support work serves as an innovative and vital part of mental health recovery

    Agencies like the SHARE Center are beginning to hire peer support specialists, who are individuals who have lived experience of recovery from mental health conditions and substance use disorders. Peer support specialists provide non-clinical, strengths-based support and build trusting relationships with those in need of care. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, demand for peer support specialists has grown exponentially and reports show that working with a peer support specialist can improve health outcomes and quality of life among other benefits.

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  • Once-Resistant Rural Court Officials Begin to Embrace Medications to Treat Addiction

    Amidst the ever-present opioid crisis, there has been a shift among judges, prosecutors and law enforcement agencies beginning to let go of the stigma associated with medication for opioid use disorder. As of 2022, more than 90% of drug courts in communities with high opioid mortality rates have reported that they allow medications to be used to treat addiction. Some areas have also seen the emergence of drug recovery courts that specialize in helping people facing addiction get treatment, rather than jail time.

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