Title : Beyond Narcan distribution: A black health equity approach to opioid capacity building in Washington, DC
Abstract:
The opioid crisis in Washington, DC continues to disproportionately impact Black and LGBTQ+ communities, populations who face systemic barriers to care and are often met with criminalization instead of support. Us Helping Us, People Into Living, Inc., a Black-led organization rooted in sexual health and harm reduction, responded to this local health emergency by establishing the Bishop Rainey Cheeks Center of Excellence in Harm Reduction (RaCCE/HR) and a dedicated Capacity Building Assistance team through the city’s opioid abatement initiative. This presentation highlights our equity-centred approach to strengthening the capacity of community partners on the front lines of overdose prevention and substance use response. While naloxone access is critical, it is not enough on its own. Education and capacity building are equally essential, empowering communities with the knowledge, confidence, and legal awareness needed to act decisively in overdose situations, particularly when medical professionals are not present. Our work directly confronts the stigma surrounding addiction, which continues to hinder access to care and discourage life-saving intervention. By framing substance use as a health issue rather than a moral failing, our trainings encourage compassionate, non-judgmental responses rooted in harm reduction. We train participants on the continuum of care, including treatment pathways, medication-assisted treatment, and supportive services, ensuring that overdose prevention is connected to longer-term recovery and healing. This approach acknowledges that many communities most affected by the opioid crisis, particularly Black and LGBTQ+ communities, have been historically excluded from treatment systems and disproportionately criminalized for substance use. Through our model, we aim to replace fear and shame with practical tools, cultural affirmation, and community solidarity. Our model leverages several key interventions: Hip Hop 2 Prevent (H2P), a youth-focused curriculum implemented in middle and high schools, designed to educate students on substance use and HIV prevention through culturally relevant, creative engagement based in music. A robust multimedia campaign, spanning social media posts, short-form videos, printed educational materials, and a community documentary, that centers lived experience, fosters connection, and reduces stigma. An expanding training catalogue for hands-on support for community partners, including churches, grassroots groups, support networks, and nonprofit organizations, to deliver opioid overdose prevention education and life-saving strategies with confidence and cultural competence. This presentation offers a replicable model for community-rooted, multimedia-informed, equity-first opioid response that shifts overdose prevention from emergency response to fostering a comprehensive, community-led strategy grounded in prevention, education, and long-term resilience.
