Assistant Professor Simmons University Boston, MA, United States
Globally, supervised consumption sites have been operating for decades, offering a safe environment to use substances. This poster provides an overview of these centers, including their promising outcomes. As U.S. states begin to develop these facilities, the presentation advances recommendations for social work practice and policy in this emerging area.
Learning Objectives:
Upon completion, participants will be able to describe overdose prevention centers, including variations in programming, outcomes, benefits/limitations, and their functions as part of a continuum of substance-related services.
Participants will be able to discuss social workers' roles in international supervised consumption sites, and anticipate how U.S.-based social workers may provide services in these settings.
Participants will be able to advocate for policies, practices, and educational/training resources that support communities' efforts to develop supervised consumption sites and other harm reduction approaches that specifically address contextual/structural factors, including racism, poverty, homelessness, stigma about substance use, and other social determinants of health.
.png)
