Type: Toolkit

Climate Change & Health Adaptation Resource Guide

The Climate Change and Health Adaptation Resource Guide is designed to empower local health departments (LHDs) in their efforts to address the complex intersections of climate change and public health. Originally developed during the Fall 2022 Climate and Health Adaptation Workshops, this guide has since become a comprehensive, evolving resource that will be updated as needed.

Packed with actionable insights, case studies, resource hubs, toolkits, and funding opportunities, the guide serves as a vital tool for LHDs to navigate challenges such as extreme heat, vector-borne diseases, and weather-related health impacts. It supports climate change adaptation efforts, fosters cross-sector collaboration, and promotes resilience in communities across New York State.

Your feedback and contributions are invaluable! If you have resources to share, updates to suggest, or notice any issues, please reach out to Danielle Pellino at [email protected].

Model Overdose Reversal Agents Act

The goal of the Model Overdose Reversal Agents Act is to provide a template of suggested legislative provisions that gives legislators and policymakers the means to expand access to ORAs in the state and, thus, save more lives. This Act is comprehensive and enables legislators to completely replace any existing ORA laws with this Act or use individual provisions that best address the needs of the state.

Naloxone Prescription Mandates

In response to increasing overdose fatality rates, states have passed legislation to increase access to the opioid overdose reversal medication naloxone, including provisions that allow for the distribution of naloxone through pharmacies. Some states have gone further and now require that naloxone be prescribed or offered to some patients. This fact sheet describes those requirements and links to the relevant laws as of 2024.

Model Fentanyl/Xylazine Test Strip and Other Drug Checking Equipment Act

The Model Fentanyl/Xylazine Test Strip and Other Drug Checking Equipment Act provides a guide for states to introduce legislation to authorize the use and possession of drug checking equipment.

Legality of Drug Checking Equipment in the United States

Because no safe supply of most illicitly used drugs is available, helping people determine what is in the drugs they obtain can be an impactful harm reduction intervention. The easiest and most inexpensive way to accomplish this is often through use of fentanyl test strips and xylazine test strips. This resource outlines the legality of drug checking equipment in 50 states and the District of Columbia, as of 2024.

Syringe Services Programs: Summary of State Laws

Syringe services programs (SSP) are harm reduction programs that provide a wide range of services including the provision of new, unused hypodermic needles and syringes and other injection drug use supplies. In this summary, readers will find information with respect to SSPs for each state, including citations to applicable statutes and/or regulations, whether the state allows SSPs by statute, whether there are any municipal or county ordinances or regulations in place within the state, program components, miscellaneous provisions, and information on any pending legislation (as of August, 2023).

ASTHO: Overdose Prevention Policy Considerations: A Policy Playbook for State and Territorial Health Officials and Agencies

The widening racial and socioeconomic disparities in drug overdose death rates underscore the pressing need for health equity and reduced stigma in overdose prevention strategies. In addition, ongoing challenges in the illicit drug supply necessitate adjustments to overdose response protocols. State and territorial health agencies can play a crucial role in these efforts. This report details four key policy considerations that can help to prevent overdose, with a special emphasis on addressing health equity and reducing stigma.

Webinar – R Street Institute – Is Over the Counter Enough? Getting Naloxone to the People Who Need It Most

In this panel, experts in pharmacy, policy and harm reduction will help answer the question “Is over-the-counter naloxone enough to stop the overdose crisis?” They will discuss what intranasal naloxone’s OTC status does and does not do, as well as important next steps for regulators and policymakers working to curb overdose deaths in their communities and across the country.

Webinar – Distributing Low Barrier Naloxone in Emergency Departments

Emergency departments can learn how to build a simple, efficient, and effective model of dispensing naloxone from the ground up in this free, archived 1-hour webinar with multiple guest speakers in collaboration with National Harm Reduction Coalition.

Type: Toolkit

Learn More

Files & Links Search