NASTAD invites you to attend a virtual two-day, regional gathering on harm reduction, syringe services programs, and drug user health. The Southern Syringe Services Programs (SSP) and Drug User Health Institute will be held virtually via Zoom and occur on the afternoons of March 3-4, 2021 from 12:00 – 4:30 PM ET.  

This convening will bring together health department staff, community-based groups, content experts, national stakeholders, and state and local service providers who work on issues related to the drug use/overdose crisis and reducing associated harms in their respective jurisdictions and communities. Health department staff, SSPs/harm reduction programs, and other community-based organizations and local service providers in southern states are encouraged to attend.  

We will discuss challenges, successes, and priorities for creating and sustaining effective programs for, and relationships with, people who use drugs through innovative partnerships and collaborations.  

Topics include: 

  • Developing partnerships with diverse stakeholders to support SSPs  
  • Providing harm reduction services during the COVID-19 pandemic 
  • Sex work and harm reduction  
  • Data collection and analysis 
  • Trauma-informed approaches in harm reduction services 
  • Anti-racism in harm reduction  
  • SSP best practices, and an  
  • Overview of the policy and legal landscape of SSPs in the South.  

Please share this invitation with appropriate members of your staff and community-based partners, specifically those who work on issues related to drug user health. To register for the Southern SSP and Drug User Health Institute, please use this link.   If you have questions regarding the Southern SSP and Drug User Health Institute, please contact Amanda Muller or NASTAD’s Drug User Health team. We look forward to your attendance at this important and exciting gathering.