GOAL

Decrease the health risks associated with injection drug use.

h DPH continues to gather information about the effectiveness of syringe service programs (SSPs) and revises future operational plans should such programs become legal in Missouri.

h DPH continues to disseminate safer-use educational materials to high-risk DPH patients, recovery community centers, and other community partners to help people who inject drugs avoid infections or overdosing.

h DPH supports programs that acquire and distribute fentanyl test strips to help PWUD detect the presence of fentanyl in their drug supply.

Partners

„ The CENTER Initiative and The T promote safe use, provide education on how to reduce the harms of drug use and prevent overdose, and increase access to safe use supplies like sterile needles and test kits.

h DPH shares and promotes evidence about the effectiveness of SSPs and puts operational plans in place should syringe access legislation pass.

h DPH continues to disseminate safer-use educational materials and adjust messaging to reflect developments in the epidemic as appropriate.

® DPH conducts community outreach to communicate the many benefits of SSPs and address potential misconceptions about SSPs.

® Pending the passage of enabling legislation, DPH partners with community organizations that provide SSPs. Services could include syringe disposal, syringe distribution, naloxone distribution, HIV and hepatitis screening, safer use information dissemination, and if desired, referral to substance use disorder treatment services.

® DPH provides technical assistance and tools to support SSP operators such as assistance in conducting a needs assessment, monitoring program implementation, and evaluating the effectiveness of the program.