Harm Reduction

What is Harm Reduction?

Harm reduction is a set of practical strategies and ideas aimed at saving lives and reducing negative consequences associated with drug use. Examples of harm reduction strategies include:

• Syringe services programs
• Access to fentanyl test strips
• Increased availability of naloxone
• Removal of barriers to treatment and medications for treatment
• Overdose prevention centers

2026 Statewide Harm Reduction Symposium

NYSACHO's Monthly Harm Reduction Newsletter: Latest Edition

Recent Webinars

• NACCHO Updates on SUD and Overdose Prevention: Programming, TA, and Current Trends

  March 19, 2026
  NACCHO SUD Slides

• Hepatitis C Virus Elimination in Rural NYS: What Will It Take?

  October 9, 2025
  Hepatitis C Virus Elimination in Rural NYS Slides

• Leveraging Technology for Post-Overdose Response Initiatives: Carteret County’s Experience with Goldie Health

  July 29, 2025
  Leveraging Technology for Post Overdose Response Initiatives Slides

• Reframing Overdose Response Through a Lens of Structural Compassion

  July 23, 2025
  Compassionate Overdose Response Slides

• Leveraging the ORS Team: Strengthening Public Health and Safety Partnerships to Support LHDs in Overdose Prevention

  March 26, 2025
  Leveraging the ORS Team Slides

• Collaborating for Change: County Success Stories in Naloxone Distribution, Youth Prevention, and Harm Reduction

  February 26, 2025
  Collaborating for Change Slides

• Building Effective Leave it Behind Naloxone Programming with First Responders

  October 16, 2024

Grant Funding Webinars (Spring 2023)

• To Apply or Not to Apply, that is the Question: Effective Grant Seeking Strategies to Build Impactful Programs

  February 9, 2023

• The Federal Grant “Giving Tree”: Successful Grant Seeking Strategies for Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Grants

  March 2, 2023

• How to Win Funding from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)

  March 23, 2023

• “If At First You Don’t Succeed, Try, Try Again”: Successful Strategies for Attaining Foundation Grants

  April 13, 2023

State Resources

• Office of Drug User Health | NYSDOH
• Opioid-related Data in New York State | NYSDOH
• SUDORS Dashboard: Fatal Drug Overdose Data | CDC
• Drug Checking Data | NYSDOH
• NY MATTERS Network

Training Resources

• National Harm Reduction Coalition

  Training topics built around evidence-based practices to equip providers and communities to offer effective services for people who use drugs. Trainings can be offered in-person, virtually, and selected courses are available on-demand. Click here.

• In the Works Hub

  Harm reduction courses for communities supporting people who use drugs. Click here.

Miscellaneous Resources

• Extreme Heat, Rising Temperatures, and People Who Use Drugs: A Harm Reduction Resource for Local Health Departments 
• Xylazine Resources
  • Xylazine: What Clinicians Need to Know (NYSDOH)
  • Toxicity of Xylazine and How it Impacts Treatment for People Who Use Drugs (Temple University)
  • Pocket-Sized Xylazine and Wound Care Handout (University of Pittsburgh)
  • Xylazine Fact Sheet (NEXT Distro)
• Other Resources
  • Safe Handling of Syringes – guidance on how to safely pick up and dispose of used syringes
  • NEXT Distro – mail order harm reduction supplies
  • Never Use Alone – overdose prevention hotline for people who use alone
  • Harm Reduction Works – self help group rooted in harm reduction (Link to Facebook group)