Enhancing Drug Safe Solano Harm Reduction Services

This project is a community coalition focused on addressing opioid use and related harms in Solano County. Founded in 2018 by community partners responding to the local opioid crisis, DSS transitioned to Touro University California in August 2019 to align with the university's mission of training primary care providers who serve communities in need.

DSS convenes a diverse coalition of over 40 organizations, including hospitals, community health centers, law enforcement, courts, county agencies, community-based organizations, first responders, and concerned residents, to collaborate on prevention, treatment access, and harm reduction strategies. The mission of Drug Safe Solano is threefold: decrease stigma surrounding addiction through public education and resources for patients and professionals; save lives by preventing opioid overdoses and deaths via reduced opioid prescribing and safe disposal initiatives; and expand access to Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) and other inpatient and outpatient treatment options. DSS delivers a comprehensive suite of services that reflect a public-health-centered, community-driven approach. Harm reduction services are provided twice weekly at the Norman King Community Center, including collaborations with the Student-Run Free Clinic, and monthly outreach occurs at local encampments serving people experiencing homelessness. The program distributes lifesaving naloxone, safer-use supplies such as fentanyl and xylazine test strips, and basic needs kits, and partners with other organizations to expand countywide access to these resources.

Regular community naloxone trainings, tabling and outreach at events like farmers markets and health fairs, educational classroom work in Solano County high schools, and screenings of youth-created documentaries like Fentanyl High underscore DSS's emphasis on prevention and youth engagement. DSS also provides trainings for probation officers and law enforcement to reduce stigma and increase awareness of substance use disorder treatment, offers referrals to community treatment services, and hosts monthly coalition meetings to involve stakeholders and community members in ongoing planning and response. A notable programmatic highlight is the annual regional symposium that brings stakeholders from multiple Bay Area counties to discuss barriers, strategies, and partnership opportunities to address the opioid epidemic from multiple angles.