TY - JOUR
KW - COVID-19
KW - Adolescent
KW - Harm Reduction
KW - opioid epidemic
KW - opioid-related disorders
KW - substance use
KW - Young Adult
KW - YOUTH
AU - E. Noyes
AU - E. Yeo
AU - M. Yerton
AU - I. Plakas
AU - S. Keyes
AU - A. Obando
AU - J. M. Gaeta
AU - E. M. Taveras
AU - A. Chatterjee
A1 - 
AB - The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has challenged the ability of harm reduction programs to provide vital services to adolescents, young adults, and people who use drugs, thereby increasing the risk of overdose, infection, withdrawal, and other complications of drug use. To evaluate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on harm reduction services for adolescents and young adults in Boston, we conducted a quantitative assessment of the Community Care in Reach (CCIR) youth pilot program to determine gaps in services created by its closure during the peak of the pandemic (March 19-June 21, 2020). We also conducted semistructured interviews with staff members at 6 harm reduction programs in Boston from April 27 through May 4, 2020, to identify gaps in harm reduction services, changes in substance use practices and patterns of engagement with people who use drugs, and how harm reduction programs adapted to pandemic conditions. During the pandemic, harm reduction programs struggled to maintain staffing, supplies, infection control measures, and regular connection with their participants. During the 3-month suspension of CCIR mobile van services, CCIR missed an estimated 363 contacts, 169 units of naloxone distributed, and 402 syringes distributed. Based on our findings, we propose the following recommendations for sustaining harm reduction services during times of crisis: pursuing high-level policy changes to eliminate political barriers to care and fund harm reduction efforts; enabling and empowering harm reduction programs to innovatively and safely distribute vital resources and build community during a crisis; and providing comprehensive support to people to minimize drug-related harms.
AD - 1811 Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.; 124049 Harvard College, Cambridge, MA, USA.; 2348 Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.; 50960 Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, Boston, MA, USA.; 50960 Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, Boston, MA, USA.; 1811 Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.; 50960 Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, Boston, MA, USA.; Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.; Department of Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.; 50960 Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, Boston, MA, USA.; Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.; 1811 Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.; Department of Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.; 50960 Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, Boston, MA, USA.; Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.; 12259 Department of Pediatrics, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
BT - Public health reports (Washington, D.C.: 1974)
C5 - Healthcare Disparities; Healthcare Policy; Opioids & Substance Use
CY - United States
DO - 10.1177/0033354921999396
JF - Public health reports (Washington, D.C.: 1974)
LA - eng
M1 - Journal Article
N2 - The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has challenged the ability of harm reduction programs to provide vital services to adolescents, young adults, and people who use drugs, thereby increasing the risk of overdose, infection, withdrawal, and other complications of drug use. To evaluate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on harm reduction services for adolescents and young adults in Boston, we conducted a quantitative assessment of the Community Care in Reach (CCIR) youth pilot program to determine gaps in services created by its closure during the peak of the pandemic (March 19-June 21, 2020). We also conducted semistructured interviews with staff members at 6 harm reduction programs in Boston from April 27 through May 4, 2020, to identify gaps in harm reduction services, changes in substance use practices and patterns of engagement with people who use drugs, and how harm reduction programs adapted to pandemic conditions. During the pandemic, harm reduction programs struggled to maintain staffing, supplies, infection control measures, and regular connection with their participants. During the 3-month suspension of CCIR mobile van services, CCIR missed an estimated 363 contacts, 169 units of naloxone distributed, and 402 syringes distributed. Based on our findings, we propose the following recommendations for sustaining harm reduction services during times of crisis: pursuing high-level policy changes to eliminate political barriers to care and fund harm reduction efforts; enabling and empowering harm reduction programs to innovatively and safely distribute vital resources and build community during a crisis; and providing comprehensive support to people to minimize drug-related harms.
PP - United States
PY - 2021
SN - 1468-2877; 0033-3549
SP - 33354921999396
T1 - Harm Reduction for Adolescents and Young Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study of Community Care in Reach
T2 - Public health reports (Washington, D.C.: 1974)
TI - Harm Reduction for Adolescents and Young Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study of Community Care in Reach
U1 - Healthcare Disparities; Healthcare Policy; Opioids & Substance Use
U2 - 33673755
U3 - 10.1177/0033354921999396
VO - 1468-2877; 0033-3549
Y1 - 2021
Y2 - Mar 5
ER -