Community Reports and Resources

The SAMHSA Harm Reduction Framework is the first document to comprehensively outline harm reduction and its role within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The Framework will inform SAMHSA’s harm reduction activities moving forward, as well as related policies, programs, and practices.

These recommendations were developed through a case series hosted by the Division of Substance Use Prevention and Harm Reduction (SUPHR) at the Philadelphia Department of Public Health (PDPH) and the Substance Use Response, Guidance and Education (SURGE) program at the Health Federation of Philadelphia. The case series reviewed the care of four individuals with xylazine-associated wounds and were presented by clinicians working in outpatient, street-based, hospital, and methadone treatment settings in Philadelphia. Attendees included clinicians and non-clinicians working in hospitals, community-based organization, and public administration in Philadelphia. Each case and case discussion were summarized and reviewed by staff at SUPHR and SURGE who developed initial draft recommendations. A select committee of clinicians (See Appendix) with experience providing care to individuals with xylazine-associated wounds was convened to review recommendations, which were revised through an iterative process.

This Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Advisory outlines the principles and components of low barrier care and how low barrier care may be leveraged to overcome substantial gaps in access, while also engaging individuals in treatment. Low barrier care for SUDs is a critical way to address the overdose epidemic and other substance use challenges. By removing barriers to care and providing evidence-based services in a nonjudgmental, welcoming, and accepting environment, low barrier models of care can help to improve recovery-based outcomes for individuals and communities affected by substance use and use disorders.

No significant differences were observed in survival, mean number of naloxone doses administered, prevalence of most postnaloxone signs and symptoms, postnaloxone anger or combativeness, or hospital transport refusal among 4-mg and 8-mg intranasal naloxone recipients; however, persons who received the 8-mg intranasal naloxone product had 2.51 times the risk for opioid withdrawal signs and symptoms, including vomiting, than did those who received the 4-mg intranasal naloxone product (95% CI = 1.51–4.18).

A study in pre-print found that urine immunoassay test strips used for drug checking applications were “only minimally affected by prolonged storage at elevated temperatures” and the test strips showed “little to no change in sensitivity... even though the tests were multiple years expired.”

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) released an Overdose Prevention and Response Toolkit. The primary purpose of the Toolkit is to educate a broad audience on overdose causes, risks, and signs, as well as the steps to take when witnessing and responding to an overdose. It provides clear, accessible information on opioid overdose reversal medications (OORM), such as naloxone.

The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) is a nationwide study that provides up-to-date information on tobacco, alcohol, and drug use, mental health and other health-related issues in the United States.

Each year, NSDUH interviews approximately 70,000 people age 12 and older for this important study. The study results are released each Fall, and are used to inform public health programs and policies.

The Task Force will review data relating to opioid overdose fatalities and near fatalities and use such data to identify gaps in community services relating to opioids and opioid overdose fatalities. Task Force members will identify trends in the social determinants of health relating to opioid overdose fatalities and identify opportunities for prevention to promote recovery and to collaborate to leverage existing resources to prevent substance misuse.

In April 2024, Nevada Institute for Children’s Research and Policy (NICRP), in collaboration with the Southern Nevada Health District (SNHD), conducted a community needs assessment to better understand the barriers to overdose prevention in Clark County, Nevada, and to provide recommendations for addressing the contributors to overdose. This report reviews the findings and provides some recommendations based on findings

Join “The Strip Club,” a mail-order harm reduction program! If you have a Clark County, Nevada address, use the “REQUEST AN INDIVIDUAL ORDER” to fill out a short, secure form to request fentanyl and/or xylazine test strips to be discreetly mailed to you.

Complete the individual request form for five FREE Fentanyl and/or Xylazine test strips to be sent to any Clark County mailing address of your choosing. You can typically expect the Southern Nevada Health District to send your shipment within one week of receiving your request.

The Substance Use Dashboard offers information on fatal and nonfatal overdoses in Clark County. It includes overdose rates and maps that show areas with the highest incidence of overdose. The dashboard also displays findings from SNHD’s drug checking program, where clients can submit used paraphernalia or drug refuse for analysis to find out what substances may have been cut into the drug they used. Additionally, the dashboard provides a list and map of harm reduction resources throughout Clark County.