Updated 09/02/2024:
Number of naloxone Doses distributed to date: 10.5k
Number of fentanyl test strips distributed to date: 500+
Number of naloxone boxes placed around the city to date: 15
Our Naloxone Box Project
Community distribution of naloxone is effective:
Injection Drug Users in Chicago reported having witnessed a median of six overdoses in their lifetime, while medical personnel were called in only 30% described overdoses. Bystander intervention is thus key to reducing overdoses.
One analysis of a naloxone distribution program in Massachusetts found that overdose death rates were 27 to 46 percent lower in communities implementing opioid education and naloxone distribution programs
A systematic review of observational studies found that community distribution of naloxone kits was consistently associated with decreased mortality from opioid overdose.
Our project:
We are distributing overdose prevention boxes containing naloxone and fentanyl test strips in surrounding communities. We have placed a number of boxes across the city, including in bars and nightclubs where the need may be pronounced.
These boxes keep Naloxone out of light and contain information for how to administer Naloxone, how to spot signs of an overdose, and will have information on local mental health, addiction, and harm reduction resources.
In addition to solely distributing these resources, we offer trainings on the administration of naloxone. Our efforts have ramped up this year, and the rate of attendance from our first to our latest training increased by 160%.
Contact us at [email protected] if you are willing to host a box.
Current Organizations:
If you need more Narcan refills, please access our form here and we will get back to you asap!
Injection Drug Users in Chicago reported having witnessed a median of six overdoses in their lifetime, while medical personnel were called in only 30% described overdoses. Bystander intervention is thus key to reducing overdoses.
One analysis of a naloxone distribution program in Massachusetts found that overdose death rates were 27 to 46 percent lower in communities implementing opioid education and naloxone distribution programs
A systematic review of observational studies found that community distribution of naloxone kits was consistently associated with decreased mortality from opioid overdose.
Our project:
We are distributing overdose prevention boxes containing naloxone and fentanyl test strips in surrounding communities. We have placed a number of boxes across the city, including in bars and nightclubs where the need may be pronounced.
These boxes keep Naloxone out of light and contain information for how to administer Naloxone, how to spot signs of an overdose, and will have information on local mental health, addiction, and harm reduction resources.
In addition to solely distributing these resources, we offer trainings on the administration of naloxone. Our efforts have ramped up this year, and the rate of attendance from our first to our latest training increased by 160%.
Contact us at [email protected] if you are willing to host a box.
Current Organizations:
If you need more Narcan refills, please access our form here and we will get back to you asap!
Appalachia, a region forgotten
A gap between the rates of wages and rent, a lack of affordable housing, and a gaping hole in support infrastructure has left Kentucky’s population with few places to turn. National attention seldom turns to rural regions of Appalachia like Berea, so few resources are directed into these communities from outside of state lines.
While volunteering with the Appalachian Community Meal Project and the UP Initiative, we met with numerous families who were on the brink of eviction or already homeless. Even for those who are able to acquire and maintain a Section 8 voucher, being able to find a landlord willing to accept that voucher often proves impossible: “I’ve done the applications, I’ve done my paperwork. I can’t find anything”, another unhoused woman told us. A fellow volunteer whose sister was unhoused said, “The people who aren’t unhoused, they think there’s help everywhere.” The nearest overnight shelter is in Richmond, the next city over. Limited public transportation, however, makes it extremely difficult for those in Berea to reach the shelter, and no service in town is as comprehensive. The nonprofit Room in the Inn (RITI) provides a free motel rooms during the winter (January 2-March 2nd), but with strictly limited capacity in hours and beds.
Our Project:
In the past few years, several new organizations have emerged in response to the growing needs of the community. The Appalachian Community Meal Project (ACM) has built several food pantries and hosts weekly free community dinners. Most recently, the UP Initiative opened a wrap-around service office for the unhoused, providing winter gear, clothing, food, and a safe place to exist unconditionally.
Four UCHRP team members conducted on the ground outreach to houseless populations in Berea and worked closely alongside the UP initiative and ACM to coordinate events and distribute supplies. We provided Narcan, Safe Injection Kits supplied by CRA, coats, winter supplies, food, and hygiene essentials over the period of December 20th to 26th, 2023. However, we are aware that these are temporary fixes to larger issues. In collaboration with the UP Initiative's case management capacities, UCHRP was able to raise funds to move four families out of these situations and into apartments by covering the costs of security deposits (around $800-$1000). We travelled to Kentucky again to check in with them in March, and the intervention demonstrated incredible success at bringing these families to stability. Read testimonials from participants on our project website, linked above.
In Berea, we witnessed more need than we could hope to fill in the short time period we were there. We plan to implement a second round of apartment deposits this coming fall. These grants would be distributed through our partner organization in Kentucky, which will pair recipients with ongoing case management. Our fundraising goal is $20k, to cover deposits for 10 families. We’re already at the halfway mark, with $10k raised. Get involved or donate directly at the link above.
A gap between the rates of wages and rent, a lack of affordable housing, and a gaping hole in support infrastructure has left Kentucky’s population with few places to turn. National attention seldom turns to rural regions of Appalachia like Berea, so few resources are directed into these communities from outside of state lines.
While volunteering with the Appalachian Community Meal Project and the UP Initiative, we met with numerous families who were on the brink of eviction or already homeless. Even for those who are able to acquire and maintain a Section 8 voucher, being able to find a landlord willing to accept that voucher often proves impossible: “I’ve done the applications, I’ve done my paperwork. I can’t find anything”, another unhoused woman told us. A fellow volunteer whose sister was unhoused said, “The people who aren’t unhoused, they think there’s help everywhere.” The nearest overnight shelter is in Richmond, the next city over. Limited public transportation, however, makes it extremely difficult for those in Berea to reach the shelter, and no service in town is as comprehensive. The nonprofit Room in the Inn (RITI) provides a free motel rooms during the winter (January 2-March 2nd), but with strictly limited capacity in hours and beds.
Our Project:
In the past few years, several new organizations have emerged in response to the growing needs of the community. The Appalachian Community Meal Project (ACM) has built several food pantries and hosts weekly free community dinners. Most recently, the UP Initiative opened a wrap-around service office for the unhoused, providing winter gear, clothing, food, and a safe place to exist unconditionally.
Four UCHRP team members conducted on the ground outreach to houseless populations in Berea and worked closely alongside the UP initiative and ACM to coordinate events and distribute supplies. We provided Narcan, Safe Injection Kits supplied by CRA, coats, winter supplies, food, and hygiene essentials over the period of December 20th to 26th, 2023. However, we are aware that these are temporary fixes to larger issues. In collaboration with the UP Initiative's case management capacities, UCHRP was able to raise funds to move four families out of these situations and into apartments by covering the costs of security deposits (around $800-$1000). We travelled to Kentucky again to check in with them in March, and the intervention demonstrated incredible success at bringing these families to stability. Read testimonials from participants on our project website, linked above.
In Berea, we witnessed more need than we could hope to fill in the short time period we were there. We plan to implement a second round of apartment deposits this coming fall. These grants would be distributed through our partner organization in Kentucky, which will pair recipients with ongoing case management. Our fundraising goal is $20k, to cover deposits for 10 families. We’re already at the halfway mark, with $10k raised. Get involved or donate directly at the link above.
Medication-Assisted Recovery Hotline Collaboration
MAR NOW: A lifeline to recovery
Research shows that perceived access to treatments like Medication-Assisted Recovery influences whether individuals struggling with substance use disorders actively seek and engage in treatment. The introduction of the MAR NOW hotline represents a critical step towards improving access to free medication-assisted recovery services in the city. By connecting individuals to these vital resources, the hotline has the potential to significantly impact the lives of those affected by substance use disorders, offering them a lifeline to recovery.
However, in order to maximize the effectiveness and reach of the MAR NOW hotline, it is essential to consider strategies that can increase awareness and utilization of this service.
Our project:
The UChicago Harm Reduction Project (UCHRP) is seeking to partner with the Chicago Department of Public Health and Family Guidance Center to increase awareness and utilization of this service by creating and distributing lighters marked with information about the hotline. Given that tobacco usage rates are disproportionately high among individuals with opioid use disorder, incorporating the MAR NOW hotline information on lighters holds promise in effectively reaching the target population. In fact, according to the 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, heavy smokers are afflicted by Opioid Use Disorder at a rate 7 times higher than non-smokers.
Utilizing data from CDPH on overdose hotspots, specific locations will be identified to prioritize distribution efforts. By partnering with gas stations, convenience stores, and other businesses in areas at high risk for overdoses, we aim to increase awareness of the hotline and the likelihood that those in need will seek help. While distributing lighters at hotspots, UCHRP representatives will also have an opportunity to distribute informational materials about the hotline through more conventional promotion methods, for example, by placing flyers around hotspot locations with information on the hotline.
Following the completion of distribution efforts, data from the MAR NOW hotline will be used to track whether targeted areas experience an increase in calls. This information will be used to evaluate distribution methods and guide future distribution efforts.
Research shows that perceived access to treatments like Medication-Assisted Recovery influences whether individuals struggling with substance use disorders actively seek and engage in treatment. The introduction of the MAR NOW hotline represents a critical step towards improving access to free medication-assisted recovery services in the city. By connecting individuals to these vital resources, the hotline has the potential to significantly impact the lives of those affected by substance use disorders, offering them a lifeline to recovery.
However, in order to maximize the effectiveness and reach of the MAR NOW hotline, it is essential to consider strategies that can increase awareness and utilization of this service.
Our project:
The UChicago Harm Reduction Project (UCHRP) is seeking to partner with the Chicago Department of Public Health and Family Guidance Center to increase awareness and utilization of this service by creating and distributing lighters marked with information about the hotline. Given that tobacco usage rates are disproportionately high among individuals with opioid use disorder, incorporating the MAR NOW hotline information on lighters holds promise in effectively reaching the target population. In fact, according to the 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, heavy smokers are afflicted by Opioid Use Disorder at a rate 7 times higher than non-smokers.
Utilizing data from CDPH on overdose hotspots, specific locations will be identified to prioritize distribution efforts. By partnering with gas stations, convenience stores, and other businesses in areas at high risk for overdoses, we aim to increase awareness of the hotline and the likelihood that those in need will seek help. While distributing lighters at hotspots, UCHRP representatives will also have an opportunity to distribute informational materials about the hotline through more conventional promotion methods, for example, by placing flyers around hotspot locations with information on the hotline.
Following the completion of distribution efforts, data from the MAR NOW hotline will be used to track whether targeted areas experience an increase in calls. This information will be used to evaluate distribution methods and guide future distribution efforts.
Advocacy
UCHRP's advocacy team supports Harm Reduction focused legislation and works closely with the Illinois Harm Reduction Coalition to support bills like HB2, HB1468, and SB1830. The HB2 bill would allow Chicago organizations to pilot overdose prevention sites. The bill also has an educational side, and requires DHS to help educate local communities and public and private entities about overdose prevention sites and the evidence regarding the benefits of overdose prevention sites. In collaboration with Illinois Harm Reduction Coalition, UCHRP will research different overdose prevention site models on reducing harm, lobby representatives for their support of the HB2 bill, and work to determine how the bill can best benefit the Chicago community. Throughout the fall, we'll use our resources to push for this bill and others like HB1468, and SB1830. This is an opportunity for students to become involved with the IHRC on their policy projects, and become involved in the political landscape of harm reduction in larger Chicago.