Universities are in a unique position to aid in the fight against the opioid epidemic. Students from various academic disciplines have the skills to run a variety of harm reduction services. Students in sciences, health and social development, arts, engineering, psychology and more have the potential to operate drug checking machines, deliver harm reduction services and education, create innovative harm reduction tools, provide overdose awareness and prevention training, and offer additional assessments and supports.
In 2020, the University of British Columbia’s (Okanagan Campus) Harm Reduction Team (HaRT) partnered with Interior Health to offer drug checking and harm reduction services using test strips and a spectrometry machine on campus and across the Okanagan. In this webinar, presenters from UBCO HaRT and one of their key community partners, KANDU (Knowledging All Nations and Developing Unity – formerly the Kelowna Area Network of Drug Users), will outline how this successful initiative was built through partnerships and collaboration between the university and the wider community. Our presenters will share key insights on how they challenged stigma, shifted misconceptions, and overcame barriers to bring this essential service to campus and the community. Join to learn how other organizations and academic institutions can do the same!
