Find Resources
Emerging Practices that show potential to achieve desirable public health outcomes in a specific real-life setting and produce early results that are consistent with the objectives of the activities and thus indicate effectiveness.
RELEASE DATE:
Peer Review Study
This study describes harm reduction and health services provided by the U.S. syringe services programs (SSPs) in 2019 and changes in provision of those services in 2020. Many SSPs that offered health services in 2019 and remained operational in 2020 increased telehealth provision of mental health and primary care services, increased MOUD provision, and expanded harm reduction services, but most SSPs reduced or stopped on-site HIV and HCV testing. With the record high opioid overdose fatality rates in 2020, sustaining the trajectory of SSP growth and innovation leading up to and through 2020 requires ensuring adequate and flexible funding to support the life-saving work of SSPs in preventing future overdose deaths and outbreaks of HIV and HCV.
Novel Practices that show potential to achieve desirable public health outcomes in a specific real-life setting and are in the process of generating evidence of effectiveness or may not yet be tested.
RELEASE DATE:
Summary Report/Recommendations
This resources summarizes the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on substance use and the experiences of people who used drugs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Highlights include: the pandemic increased the risk of overdose for people who use drugs, and in response people who use drugs reported using more harm reduction strategies. The pandemic also motivated change in wanting to quit drug use for study participants, but also highlighted the social determinants of health as barriers to sustainable recovery.
Promising Practices that show evidence of effectiveness in improving public health outcomes in a specific real-life setting, as indicated by achievement of aims consistent with the objectives of the activities, and are suitable for adaptation by other communities.
RELEASE DATE:
Peer Review Study
This article describes the implementation of a medical student-run, free virtual clinic providing medication assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder (OUD) in Miami, Florida during the COVID-19 pandemic. Eligibility criteria for accessing services through the clinic included Florida residency and an income below 200% of the federal poverty level. The article describes how the students promoted the clinic, the process for providing MAT virtually (under supervision of an attending physician), patient characteristics, and reports process evaluation data for the clinic. The practice strategy this article is focused on is access to MAT for people with OUD during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Emerging Practices that show potential to achieve desirable public health outcomes in a specific real-life setting and produce early results that are consistent with the objectives of the activities and thus indicate effectiveness.
RELEASE DATE:
Peer Review Study
This article details the results of a randomized clinical trial evaluating web-based versus in-person substance use disorder counseling. While participants who completed the study reported similar levels of satisfaction with treatment, and similar rates of attendance and drug-positive urinalysis results, it should be noted that most study withdrawal occurred among participants assigned to the web-based intervention, with 26 participants withdrawing due to problems with computer or internet function. If this program were replicated in other settings, the digital divide could pose a barrier to equitable outcomes. The practice strategy this article is focused on is telemedicine for treatment of substance use disorder.
Emerging Practices that show potential to achieve desirable public health outcomes in a specific real-life setting and produce early results that are consistent with the objectives of the activities and thus indicate effectiveness.
RELEASE DATE:
Peer Review Study
This is a rapid review of peer-reviewed and grey literature summarizing guidance for the prevention and control of COVID-19 in custodial settings in the first six months of 2020. The review summarizes global recommendations across 19 domains including: preparedness; physical environments; case identification, screening, and management; communication; external access and visitation; psychological and emotional support; recreation, legal, and health service adaptation; decarceration; release and community reintegration; workforce logistics; surveillance and information sharing; independent monitoring; compensatory measures; lifting control measures; evaluation; and key populations/ settings. The authors also identify a few conflicting recommendations.
Best Practices that show evidence of effectiveness in improving public health outcomes when implemented in multiple real-life settings, as indicated by achievement of aims consistent with the objectives of the activities.
RELEASE DATE:
Case Study
The CO-SHARE (Co-Design of Services for Health and Reentry) study aimed to identify the health and reentry needs of those recently released from jail with specific input from those released from jail and service providers serving this population. The focus areas were: the prerelease process, one-stop service hubs, housing, and long-term support. Detailed recommendations were given, but the study primarily assesses the effectiveness of the EBCD (Experience-Based Co-Design) method in connecting community members and providers to create solutions.
Best Practices that show evidence of effectiveness in improving public health outcomes when implemented in multiple real-life settings, as indicated by achievement of aims consistent with the objectives of the activities.
RELEASE DATE:
Systematic Review/Meta-Analysis
This article summarizes the factors that place incarcerated people at high risk for COVID-19 infection and the effective strategies to reduce transmission and complications due to COVID-19, informed by other infectious disease outbreaks. The authors highlight the role of interagency collaboration, health communication, screening for contagious diseases, restriction, isolation and quarantine, contact tracing, immunisation programmes, epidemiological surveillance, and prison-specific guidelines in managing any outbreaks.
Promising Practices that show evidence of effectiveness in improving public health outcomes in a specific real-life setting, as indicated by achievement of aims consistent with the objectives of the activities, and are suitable for adaptation by other communities.
RELEASE DATE:
Summary Report/Recommendations
This article discusses the preliminary data regarding Syringe Services Program (SSP) operational and service delivery changes during the response to the COVID-19 pandemic and provides key policy and service provision implications for SSPs. There is an emphasis on the distribution of services provided at SSPs and highlights the need for SSP support in providing education, prevention, and strategies to avoid emerging infectious disease outbreaks.
Promising Practices that show evidence of effectiveness in improving public health outcomes in a specific real-life setting, as indicated by achievement of aims consistent with the objectives of the activities, and are suitable for adaptation by other communities.
RELEASE DATE:
Peer Review Study
This article highlights the interventions taken by the Cook County Jail to reduce COVID-19 transmission. They used a combination of masking, testing, screening of staff, medical isolation in single-occupancy cells, social distancing, and enhanced cleaning procedures. Cases declined in the facility following these interventions, even as cases increased in the broader Chicago area.