Speakers - 2026

Title: Justice Is the Intervention: Redesigning Harm Reduction within Black Communities

Abstract

The decline in drug-related fatalities in New Jersey, USA over the past three years reflects progress in harm reduction, yet racial disparities remain stark (New Jersey Department of Health, 2025). Black and Hispanic communities continue to face disproportionate rates of drug-related deaths—51.4 and 38.9 per 100,000, respectively—compared to white residents (New Jersey Department of Health, 2025). The Black Lives Matter Paterson Harm Reduction Center and Mobile Unit provides harm reduction resources, care, and support to neglected populations through culturally responsive, Black-centered mobile outreach.

Harm reduction is not enabling. It meets marginalized people where they are, gives those who use substances a touch point with the healthcare system, reduces costs (OD2A Case Study: Harm Reduction, 2025), and leads to referrals to treatment when they are ready (Harm Reduction 101 – NJ Harm Reduction Coalition, n.d.). The BLM Harm Reduction Center conducted pre-intervention surveys to measure the baseline access, usage, and viewpoints of individuals who were new to or unfamiliar with harm reduction resources and practices. A follow-up data collection survey was conducted after 6 months of the pre-survey to evaluate any changes in data and the program’s effectiveness by June 2025.

This approach demonstrates the critical role of direct and health justice-driven mobile harm reduction as both a community message and method to health equity (New Jersey Department of Health, 2024). By focusing on culturally responsive, people-focused, and dignifying care, this work reaches broader implications for serving disadvantaged communities in public health, more specifically, the intersectionality between HIV/STI prevention, drug user health, and recovery care (Harm Reduction 101 – NJ Harm Reduction Coalition, n.d.).

References

• Harm Reduction 101 – NJ Harm Reduction Coalition. (n.d.). https://njharmreduction.org/harm-reduction-101/  
• New Jersey Department of Health. (2025). New Jersey Harm Reduction Centers Biennial Report 2022–2024. In New Jersey Department of Health. https://nj.gov/health/hivstdtb/documents/nj-harm-reduction-centers-biennial-report-2022-2024.pdf  
• OD2A case study: Harm reduction. (2025, June 9). Overdose Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/overdose-prevention/php/od2a/harm-reduction.html  

What will the audience take away from presentation?

• A replicable pre- and post-intervention evaluation model for measuring behavioral change, service uptake, and trust in harm reduction programming within marginalized communities.
• Evidence that culturally responsive mobile outreach improves engagement with naloxone, safer use practices, and connection to health services.
• A practical framework for embedding racial justice principles into harm reduction design to address structural disparities in overdose mortality.