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Service and Supply Management Hacks for Mobile Services

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OGs repeatedly report that ineffective management of supplies is the number one potential flashpoint for escalated situations during harm reduction services, because it can make people feel like they are treated unfairly. Because of this, and in the name of fairness, harm reduction leaders had the following special suggestions for managing services and supplies during mobile service delivery:

  • Try and determine what the average number of shots are per day for the primary drugs of choice in your area and pack about a week’s worth, with related supplies, in a single larger bag like a paper lunch sack. This makes interactions, especially on foot or bicycle, much more fluid.
  • As ever, the best way to understand what your participants need is to ask them directly.
  • Make sure to meter out your supplies. This means thinking about your whole shift at the beginning of the shift and trying to retain some of the most sought after supplies for the end of shift. This can help ensure that folks at the end of your routes don’t feel shorted by you running out at the beginning of shift.
  • As always, be transparent with participants about what you have, what you don’t have, and/or what’s for only special populations.

Featured Hacks

These featured hacks highlight creative, practical solutions from harm reduction leaders on the ground. From DIY tools to clever workarounds, each one reflects the ingenuity, care, and real-world experience that keeps this movement alive. 

Hacks for Non-Verbal Active Listening

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When someone is agitated or in distress, how we carry ourselves can make a huge difference. Non-verbal cues—like posture, breathing, and personal space—can either calm a situation or escalate it further. The following tips offer guidance on using body language to reduce tension, show respect, and create a safer, more grounded interaction.
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Trauma-Informed

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The term “trauma-informed” emerges from a growing understanding of the far reaching ways that trauma impacts health and well-being. Trauma is defined here, in keeping with the scientific literature, as a deeply distressing or disturbing experience(s) that overwhelms an individual’s ability to cope, and significantly impacts their mental, emotional, and physical well-being.
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