HARM REDUCTION SISTERS

HARM REDUCTION SISTERS PROVIDES SAFER INJECTION AND SMOKING SUPPLIES, NARCAN, NON-MEDICAL HIV CASE MANAGEMENT, HARM REDUCTION EDUCATION, DRUG CHECKING, AND MORE - ALL AT NO COST. OUR HARM REDUCTION SERVICES INCLUDE THE DISTRIBUTION OF STERILE INJECTION SUPPLIES, OVERDOSE EDUCATION, AND NALOXONE TO COMMUNITIES IN NORTHERN MINNESOTA. HARM REDUCTION SISTERS BEGAN PROVIDING MOBILE, CONFIDENTIAL RAPID HIV TESTING AND NON-MEDICAL HIV CASE MANAGEMENT IN DULUTH AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES IN THE FALL OF 2021. OUR PEER NAVIGATORS PROVIDE MOBILE RAPID HIV TESTING BY APPOINTMENT IN DULUTH AND THE SURROUNDING AREAS. OUTREACH HIV CASE MANAGEMENT - HARM REDUCTION SISTERS' OUTREACH HIV CASE MANAGER WORKS WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE RECEIVED A REACTIVE HIV TEST. THE OUTREACH CASE MANAGER MEETS CLIENTS IN ENVIRONMENTS THAT WORK FOR THEM TO:- COMPLETE AN INITIAL, RAPID, CLIENT-CENTERED ASSESSMENT OF SERVICE NEEDS- COLLABORATIVELY DEVELOP AN INDIVIDUALIZED CARE PLAN- MAKE TIMELY AND COORDINATED REFERRALS AND ASSISTANCE ACCESSING APPROPRIATE HEALTH AND SUPPORT SERVICES BASED ON CLIENT-IDENTIFIED PRIORITIES- PROVIDE ONGOING CLIENT SUPPORT TO ASSESS PROGRESS TOWARDS GOALS AND EMERGING NEEDS FOR SUPPORT, INCLUDING CLIENT-SPECIFIC ADVOCACY TO SUPPORT SERVICE ACCESS- DELIVER CLIENT-TAILORED EDUCATION REGARDING HIV CARE AND TREATMENT, RISK REDUCTION AND OTHER AREAS TO SUPPORT OPTIMAL HEALTH OUTCOMES- REASSESS CLIENT NEEDS AND REGULARLY UPDATE CARE PLANPEER ADVOCACY & LINKAGE - OUR OUTREACH TEAM PROVIDES LINKAGE TO REGIONAL SERVICES AND PROGRAMMING, INCLUDING HOUSING, INSURANCE NAVIGATION, AND HEALTH SERVICES.IN 2024, HARM REDUCTION SISTERS EXPANDED OUR SERVICES OFFERED AND OUTREACH MODEL TO BETTER SERVE OUR PARTICIPANTS AND REACH A WIDER REGION ACROSS NORTHERN MN. WE ACQUIRED A MOBILE UNIT, WHICH ALLOWS US TO TAKE ALL OF THE SERVICES WE PROVIDE IN OUR BRICK-AND-MORTAR LOCATIONS ON THE ROAD. WE ESTABLISHED A PARTNERSHIP WITH YOURPATH TO PROVIDE LINKAGE TO MOUD (MEDICATIONS FOR OPIOID USE DISORDER) TO OUR PARTICIPANTS, AND WE LAUNCHED OUR DRUG-CHECKING PROGRAM, THE FIRST OF ITS KIND IN THE STATE OF MINNESOTA.WE SERVED 1,083 CLIENTS IN 2024, WHICH WAS AN INCREASE FROM 736 CLIENTS THE PREVIOUS YEAR. WE ALSO DISTRIBUTED NEARLY 10,000 DOSES OF NARCAN/NALOXONE.