Weekly BSAS Harm Reduction Round-Up, 4/3/26

Hi everyone! Each Friday I send out relevant harm reduction events/information. I will attempt to include it here on the hub as often as I can!

Included this week is the final report and recommendations from the Special Commission on the Public Health Effects of Xylazine, an opportunity at BMC to join a harm reduction research team, and a virtual workshop on advocacy for direct service providers from SADOD.

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Final Report: MA Special Commission on Public Health Effects of Xylazine

The Special Commission on Public Health Effects of Xylazine was established under Chapter 285 of the Acts of 2024, An Act Relative to Treatments and Coverage for Substance Use Disorder and Recovery Coach Licensure. The Commission was tasked with studying and making recommendations on ways to address the public health and safety concerns posed by the proliferation of xylazine as an additive to the Massachusetts drug supply.

The commission’s final report was submitted and posted online on Monday, March 30^th (see attached). It includes a summary of commission activities, key findings, and also outlines final recommendations. The final recommendations are separated into three buckets: oversight and enforcement, outreach and treatment, and education and training; and can be found starting on page 26 of the report. Among other recommendations is the commissions support for expanding drug checking across the state:

“The Commission recommends that the Commonwealth continue to expand efforts and resources to identify, monitor, and rapidly respond to the constant evolution of the illicit drug supply (i.e., the introduction of new contaminants and contaminants) through academic research, drug checking, toxicology screening, and coordinated information sharing supported by improved data collection and reporting infrastructure.”

The full report and recommendations are attached to this email.

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New Job Opportunities in MA: Harm Reduction Research Assistant Specialist

BSAS harm reduction partners are currently hiring! We make an effort to share new positions on a regular basis with you all. Feel free to send your job postings to me directly. Check out the opportunity below:

Harm Reduction Research Assistant Specialist (HRRAS) – Full Time | Boston Medical Center | Pay: $18.27- $25.72/hr

The Harm Reduction Research Assistant Specialist (HRRAS) will assist in participant activities detailed in the study protocol to support a SafeSpot intervention study which aims to develop, implement, and evaluate an intervention to engage overdose survivors to use an overdose prevention hotline and reduce their unwitnessed substance use.  The HRRAS will support the multidisciplinary team recruiting and retaining study participants from multiple community-based organizations, collecting study data through a variety of methods (questionnaires, qualitative interviews, focus groups, proof of concept trials), and additional day-to-day study activities.

More information and application available here

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Virtual Workshop: Advocacy For Direct Service Providers (SADOD)

Hosted by Support After Death by Overdose (SADOD)

Date & Time: April 14th, 10am-12pm EST

Advocacy is a requirement in most codes of ethics in the human service and medical field. It has the ability to effect change and help us feel we have agency over the multitude of problems that we face in our work. We will cover a number of ways that folks can engage in advocacy with different levels of commitment and go over the basics of crafting messaging and talking points.

After this workshop attendees will be able to:

• Understand the role and importance of advocacy in our respective fields
• Discuss the history of advocacy which shaped our current work
• Identify ways to employ advocacy on issues they identify
• Craft basic talking points and asks for speaking with decision makers

Read more and register here

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That’s all for this week. I hope you find time for rest this weekend.

~Ben

If you would like to be added to this listserv and you live or work in Massachusetts – please send me an email at ben.plant@mass.gov