This episode highlights how community-based advanced drug checking supports people who use drugs, harm reduction staff, and clinical providers. Hear from Darlene Andrade Fonseca and Allyson Pinkhover of Brockton Neighborhood Health Center about their work implementing drug checking with real-time FTIR technology, together with other tools. Alongside host Dr. Joe Wright of Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, the trio discusses how advanced drug checking promotes autonomy for program participants and helps both harm reduction staff and clinical providers to better individualize the services they provide.
Episode release date: July 11, 2024. Register at the link below.
Educational Objectives:
- Identify three methods of drug checking (immunoassay test strips, FTIR, and GC-MS), including their strengths and limitations.
- Recognize funding sources that can support advanced drug checking equipment and services.
- Interpret state-level policies that facilitate or prohibit drug checking services and align them with advocacy opportunities.
- Cite examples of drug checking’s role in individualizing harm reduction education, participant autonomy, and informing clinical practice.
