AFFILIATE PACKING & MAILING GUIDE www. n a l o x o n e f o r a l l . o r g
IN THIS GUIDE Supply Basics- 2 Package Size- 3 Personal Connection- 3
Addressing & Packaging- 4 Getting Stamps- 5 Receiving & Tracking- 6 Sheet Notifications- 7 Aggregate Data- 8 Co-branding- 9
Budgeting- 9 Agreements- 10
THANK YOU FOR BEING OUR PARTNER Jamie Favaro jamie@nextdistro.org www.nextdistro.org www.naloxoneforall.org
917-828-0293
Thank you for choosing to participate in mail-based naloxone distribution through naloxoneforall.org Please know our site is your site. We began naloxoneforall.org in New York but our vision is to ensure no-cost, accessible naloxone is available to all people who need it nationwide. We have big dreams to support a groundswell of power among people who use drugs. Shifting lifesaving resources into the hands of impacted communities is the first step. We are grateful for your partnership and collaboration, and look forward to building this resource together.
Supply basics: Everything you need .
1. Plain bubble mailer Bubble mailers are a cost-effective alternative to boxes. We prefer 6 x 9 inch self-adhesive bubble mailers for shipping two Narcan devices, CD/DVD bubble mailers (7 x 7 inch) will also work. 2. Pen Use a pen or pencil to write a personalized note on the pamphlet. 3. Sharpie Use a Sharpie or other permanent marker for addressing the bubble mailer. If pressed too hard, a ballpoint pen can perforate the mailer. 4. Pamphlet Whether you use our generic pamphlet or we customize and co-brand, one area of the pamphlet is always left blank for a personalized message from the sender. 5. NEXT promotional postcard Promotional postcards are available at the request of affiliates. We usually include several for folks that have experienced or witness an overdose, and ask them to give to folks they know who need naloxone but can't access it. Next will co-brand postcards at no cost when requested by affiliates. 6. Box of Narcan Nasal Spray 7. Scissors 8. Tape 9. $3.66 USPS stamp We purchase $3.66 stamps in advance to save time at the post office. Because the bubble mailer is considered a package and is under 12 oz, it will usually be a flat rate of $3.66. If you choose to send more than two Narcan devices or include additional materials, the price may jump by a few cents.
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Achieving a manageable package size To ship Narcan easily using a bubble mailer, break down the box to achieve a flat package. 1. Open the Narcan box and take out the two Narcan devices, set aside. 2. Cut the front instruction panel off the Narcan box. Be sure to cut around the instructions so that the twopage manual remains intact. This is the part of the package to be included with the shipment.
3. Discard the remainder of the box.
ensuring a personal connection Make sure folks receiving supplies have pertinent information and feel comfortable reaching out. A hand-written note is an important part of creating a connection with the individual receiving supplies. The note can simply invite them to reach out for questions or concerns. You can also tell them about resources in their area (including an agency name, url, or contact number is great), offer to connect them to in-person support, provide other location-specific information, or any other personal touch that underscores your interest in supporting them.
Tips Do not address your note to a specific person or include their name in your correspondance. This will help ensure that a found pamphlet does not identify its recipient. Read the enrollment information before writing a note. Many enrollees ask questions or provide information about help they are interested in. You can use their comments as a jumping off point for your personal note.
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addressing and packing shipments Choosing a return address In our experience, about one out of every 30 packages is returned. The reasons for this include an error in the enrollment information or an error in transcription. In both cases, an apartment or lot number is usually left off the shipping address. For this reason, it is important to include a legible return address on each package. Next suggests using an acronym if the return address is an organization, or name of the individual shipping/ most appropriate to receive and manage returned items. If the return address can provide some confidentiality to the recipient about where the package is coming from, it is preferable to do so. I.e., instead of "Hometown Harm Reduction Center" use: HHRC.
Addressing shipments Utilize data from the affiliate Google Spreadsheet to populate the TO: addressee information. Write legibly using a permanent marker.
Package security and USPS Flags USPS may 'flag' a shipment for security screening. In these cases, packages will pass through tests to ensure they have not come into contact with explosive material, or are carrying illicit substances. Packages will pass through the security check unopened. However, it will mean a delay in shipping time. Some reasons why USPS may flag a package:
No return address Return address only includes initials or either a first or last name No addressee or an incomplete name The addressee is a pseudonym or "John/Jane Doe"
Packing Tips Address the package before the packing process. Put flat materials into the package before loading bulky items like Narcan, If the closure seems unsecured or precarious, tape it shut with packing tape.
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getting stamps from the post office Buy stamps ahead of time when you can We suggest mailing supplies via the US Post Office because it is the least expensive option. The most efficient way to obtain stamps is to purchase them through a USPS machine. If your local post office does not have a machine installed, you'll have to use the service window which will mean the postal will enter each address manually, this can be time consuming. Alternately, you can purchase general postage stamps in denominations that add up to the end cost. Because naloxone supplies are not flat, they fall under the USPS category of a package. Any First Class package under 12 oz sent within the same zone costs costs a flat 'minimum' package rate of $3.66. If you live in a large state such as California, Texas, or Alaska, we suggest reviewing postage zones in advance of mailing supplies, the cost may be a few cents higher.
How to purchase stamps through the USPS Machine 1. Select "Purchase Stamps" 2. Select "Other Stamp Value" 3. Enter stamp value at $3.66 4. Purchase up to 5 stamps per cycle
Other notes about purchasing stamps from the post office Up to 5 stamps can be purchased from the machine per cycle (the machine will allow you to purchase five stamps at one time). If you are paying with a credit card you can purchase more than five stamps on one transaction by re-cycling through this process. USPS machines have a $50 transaction cap. Next Naloxone affiliates do not mail anything that is liquid, perishable, fragile or hazardous. In the rare occasion that we use the service window and are directly asked what is in our package, we report that we are mailing "office supplies" or "promotional supplies". Post office employees will err on the side of caution and may refuse a package that contains "naloxone the drug that reverses an opioid overdose". Most of our local post office workers think we run an Etsy shop, and we like it that way.
Receiving and tracking requests Next Naloxone currently uses Google Drive to communicate and track requests When Next Naloxone receives an enrollment from naloxoneforall.org it's captured in a master spreadsheet. We then populate affiliate spreadsheets with enrollment/Narcan requests from their state.
The spreadsheet will include data points such as demographics, if the enrollee has ever received an overdose responder training before, if they themselves have overdosed in the past year, or if they've witnessed an overdose in the past year. You are welcome to utilize aggregate data from the spreadsheet for your own reporting and advocacy purposes. Names and address are treated confidentially. Each time a request comes through, Next Naloxone will update your spreadsheet with a new row (see Fig. 1). After you have filled the request, use the checkmark function to indicate the request has been filled and place the order-fill date in column B (see Fig. 2). Please note that column D indicates the name to be written on the shipment and overrides column C if it is populated.
Fig. 1
Fig. 2
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setting up spreadsheet notifications Ensure you know when new requests come in When Next Naloxone folks add a new request to your affiliate spreadsheets, it's important to fulfill the request in a timely manner. Setting up spreadsheet notifications will alert you via email when the spreadsheet has been updated. You may choose notifications on an 'as edited' or daily basis. To set up spreadsheet notifications, go into the affiliate spreadsheet, choose Notification Rules... from the Tools dropdown menu (see Fig 1). From the Set notification rules box, choose to notify you when any changes are made. You can choose whether the system notify you in a daily digest, or right away (see Fig 2).
Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Aggregate data Get a quick snapshot of who is making requests in your state On your affiliate spreadsheet, we include a tab called "Reporting". This conditionally formatted spreadsheet pulls in data from order requests to provide you a snapshot of who is making requests in your state. It can provide valuable insight into who the project is-and isn't-reaching.
Promotion naloxoneforall.org is yours to share The extent to which you promote naloxoneforall.org within your state is up to you. Some affiliates choose to send the site to individuals who call requesting naloxone but are too far to receive it inperson. Other affiliates choose to promote the site more proactively in their networks. Mailing supplies takes time and money, some affiliates are able to expand more than others based on these factors Below are some thoughts we have about promotion: As an organization, Next Harm Reduction prioritizes resourcing people who use drugs. How this shows up in our naloxoneforall.org work is that we strive to reach people who use drugs or others that are the most likely to be first responders during an opioid overdose incident (friend, partner, roommate, parent, child, spouse, etc). As an organization, Next Harm Reduction prioritizes resourcing people who have been most affected by the drug war. Our promotion focuses on communities of color and low/no-income households. We request to our participants that they share our information with people they know who use drugs that can not access naloxone. When social media blasts occur over Facebook, the site gets a rush of supply requests but usually from individuals who have not personally experienced or witnessed an overdose in the past year and want it "Just in case I see someone who overdoses".
co-branding on printed information We love co-branding with our affiliates and partners Next sends a Next Naloxone pamphlet with each shipment. The sections are: About Next, Opioid Overdose 911, Common Questions, Friendly Reminders, How We Keep Your Information Safe, and Contact & Social Media. You are welcome to send out this pamphlet as well as your own. If you are interested in cobranding, editing, and adding to our pamphlet template, we welcome it. At minimum, 1/6 of the pamphlet is left blank for affiliate use (program information, contact, website, etc). Pamphlets are created in Canva and can be edited by affiliates or by providing Next with text and images. Next requests that affiliates not edit template text without notification. Regardless of if you choose to co-brand, Next will send affiliates the pamphlet as a printable pdf. If printing is a barrier, Next will mail pamphlets in packs of 100.
Budgeting and support Our syringe access branch NEXT Distro has been mailing naloxone across the country since February, 2018. The www.naloxoneforall.org site went live in November and has shipped to hundreds of households across over 49 states. We've been doing so with donated funds, some small % of NEXT Distro foundation grants, and time from (the best) volunteers. Not including the Narcan, each mailing costs approximately $4 to send. The breakdown for 100 shipments is as follows: Bubble mailers: $15 Packing Tape: $5 Postage: $366 ($3.66 stamp per package) Misc, pens, Sharpie, highlighter: $14 Total: $400 Next is unable to purchase naloxone for affiliate programs. While Next has no budget to support affiliate program supply or shipping costs, if a partner is unable to fund mail-based naloxone distribution within their state but have the naloxone, people-power, and will to do so, we will work with you to find a way. By request, Next will provide promotional postcards to affiliate programs at no cost.
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a few important notes Fulfillment Turnaround Time We strive to send requested supplies next day or within 48 hours and we expect our affiliates to share this goal. Our team achieves a prompt turnaround time by ensuring packing materials are in-stock and organized, and there is a clear understanding among the affiliate team of who is responsible for packing and shipping.
Ensuring a Plan B There are many reasons why a Plan B is important to have in place for fulfillment and shipping. Folks get sick, take vacation, or perhaps the supply stock is running low. As an affiliate we expect your team to have a Plan B if the individual(s) responsible for management/oversight/packing/shipping are unable to fulfill their duties in a timely manner. Your Plan B can include reaching out to Next to fulfill orders for a short timeframe.
Reversal Reports A reversal report is listed at www.naloxoneforall.org/reverse. The Next Naloxone pamphlet emphasizes the importance of filing out the reversal form. All reversals within an affiliate state will be reported to affiliates within 24 hours.
Spanish Language Resources Next Naloxone's training platform includes a spanish-language training, quiz, and enrollment. A spanish-language reversal form is listed under the "Contact" drop down menu. We also include the url for a spanish-languge version of our OD Aftercare url on the spanish-langugae version of our cobranded brochure. If you have concerns about receiving enrollments from spanish-speaking individuals, please reach out to us for assistance.
Agreements Privacy and Security of Enrollees Under no circumstance may enrollee names, addresses, or other identifying information be shared beyond the immediate individuals working to fulfill shipments. Affiliates will work to ensure no enrollee information is put at risk of being shared, this means attention to technological security (signing out of Google Drive when not in use) and leaving packages face down when in the presence of non-affiliate folks.
Absolutely No Pay-per Services Naloxone received via www.naloxoneforall.org is free to all enrollees. Affiliates will not request or expect to be compensated by enrollees for supplies mailed to them.
Bidirectional Communication is Essential When we say affiliate we mean partner. We need your partnership to make this project work. What that means for us is to tell us if something isn't working, if something could be running better, managed better, more, less, bigger, smaller, quieter, louder, all the things. We want you to feel ownership over this project and process. Let's talk.
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