OBJECTIVE

The goal of this toolkit item is to provide incentives to overdose survivors for engagement in harm reduction services following the initial outreach visit. POST teams have found that many overdose survivors encountered during outreach are not active participants in local harm reduction programs. While the POST encounter is an opportunity to offer on-the-spot risk reduction assessment, advice, and supplies, there are also potential barriers to full engagement during the visit (e.g., presence of public safety, family, or others). The initial POST encounter may not offer adequate space or comfort to talk about risk reduction and navigation to services. These barriers may be amplified for people who use cocaine or methamphetamine and Native, Black, Latino, Hispanic or youth survivors. Incentivizing overdose survivors to access harm reduction services following an outreach visit is a promising approach to improve engagement.

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OBJECTIVE

Support After a Death by Overdose (SADOD), a statewide overdose grief organization, facilitated a grief group with frontline POST program workers. During this discussion, a hypothetical outreach scenario was presented where the outreach team unexpectedly encountered grieving family members. The objectives of the discussion were to learn how to: 1) appropriately respond to someone who is experiencing acute grief, 2) provide appropriate resources to grieving family members, and 3) manage grief from secondary trauma experienced by outreach workers engaged in this work. A template for hosting a grief scenario is included in the toolkit, as well as information on how to attend weekly grief groups for outreach workers hosted by SADOD.

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OBJECTIVE

As a supplement to the Grief Support Resources document, the toolkit also includes an implementation guide outlining the steps that POST programs can take to make a direct “warm referral” to the Sun will Rise organization. This service, which is exclusive to POST programs, guarantees that a member of Sun Will Rise will contact the person referred within 24-48 hours after the referral is made.

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OBJECTIVE

These trainings/videos provide an overview of cultural responsiveness, current insights around overdose in communities of color and youth populations in Massachusetts, and how culture impacts post-overdose outreach strategies. These trainings have been developed in conjunction with our Toolkit Development Group members and our advisory board members.

OBJECTIVE

This one-page guide provides an overview of drug checking services offered around Massachusetts and advice on where to obtain fentanyl test strips.

RESOURCES

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OBJECTIVE

This infographic is intended for outreach staff and public safety partners to facilitate discussions about how outreach will be conducted. Pre-visit discussions can help teams customize their approach for each outreach visit, ensure the correct outreach staff are present (to account for things such as language barriers), and promote a safe and positive encounter.

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OBJECTIVE

This infographic is intended to promote open discussion between public health and public safety partners about how post-overdose outreach services will be conducted. The aim of this toolkit item is to support the development of formal and informal policies and procedures to guide outreach services. It covers topics such as team member roles, warrant checking, separating outreach from law enforcement activities, and minimizing harm and unintended consequences for overdose survivors.

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OBJECTIVE

This is an implementation guide outlining the steps that POST programs can take to make a direct “warm referral” to the Learn to Cope organization. This service, which is exclusive to POST programs, guarantees that a member of Learn to Cope will contact the family or social network person referred within 24-48 hours after the referral is made.

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