Building Agency Capacity for Drug User Health

Building Agency Capacity for Drug User Health: An Initiative to Ensure Access to Health Care Services for People Who Use Drugs
ACR Health in collaboration with NYSDOH AIDS Institute is offering an intensive capacity building initiative to assist health care organizations to refine policies and practices related to people who use drugs to improve engagement in services and ensure the provision of quality, non-judgmental and stigma-free care.

Public Health Crisis
It is a public health, economic, and moral imperative that health care organizations be more responsive to people who use drugs. Rates of HIV and hepatitis C are substantially higher among persons who use drugs than among persons who do not. Opioid use and overdoses in the United States are at epidemic proportions. Stigma related to drug use creates significant barriers to vital prevention and health care services for people who use drugs. Stigma can also have an adverse impact on HIV, HCV, substance use disorder treatment uptake, treatment adherence, and quality of life.

Defining Drug User Health
Drug User Health is a set of services built on the harm reduction philosophy of “meeting people where they are”. These services address the structural and social barriers that may underlie use of drugs and does not rely solely on a “treatment only” approach. This approach engages individuals to seek and return for services from compassionate and competent providers, who take a whole patient-centered approach to medical care of a person who uses drugs.

Requirements for Participation
The DUH CBI is a year-long initiative that comprises two in-person meetings, monthly coaching webinars, and collaborative teamwork.
The following are requirements for participation in this capacity building initiative:
- Must be an Article 28 facility.
- Must identify two representatives to participate in the initiative who are in leadership positions who have: 1) a long-term commitment to the agency, 2) the authority to implement changes in agency practices, and 3) the ability to train/coach staff.
- Must identify a “team” of 3-5 staff members to support the two representatives.
- Agency representatives must attend and participate in two in-person meetings, scheduled for October 2024 and September 2025, as well as monthly 90-minute coaching webinars.
- Must complete and submit DUH CBI organizational and staff assessments within the first month of acceptance into this year-long initiative. These assessments will accompany the acceptance email, which will be sent out by 9/6/2024.
- Must commit to making improvements in policies and practices based on the results of the organizational and staff assessments.
- Must sign-on to provide stigma free care to people who use drugs.

Drug User Health Capacity Building Initiative Agency Application
All applications must be submitted by August 23, 2024. For further details or inquiries you can contact Jaclyn Oshins at coe@acrhealth.org or visit www.acrhealth.org/coe.
I acknowledge the structure of the capacity building initiative and the participation requirements detailed above. I commit to fully engaging in this initiative and supporting the time commitments of agency staff, as well as completing the organizational and staff assessments specified in this application. I understand that the AIDS Institute may share aggregate findings from my agency’s participation in this initiative. By signing your name below, you are indicating you understand the requirements and are committed to participating in this initiative.*

Clear
Name of Agency*
Please identify two representatives from your agency and provide us with their name, title, phone number, and email address:

Agency Representative #1: First Name*   Last Name*,   Title*,  Email*, and Phone Number*

Agency Representative #2:   First Name*   Last Name*,   Title*,   Email*, and Phone Number*
Please identify 3-5 team members from your agency that will support the representatives and provide us with their name, title, phone number, and email address:

Team Member #1: First Name*   Last Name*,   Title*,  Email*, and Phone Number*

Team Member #2:  First Name*   Last Name*,   Title*,  Email*, and Phone Number*

Team Member #3:   First Name*   Last Name*,   Title*,  Email*, and Phone Number*
Team Member #4 (optional): First Name Last Name, Title, Email, and Phone Number

Team Member #5 (optional): First Name Last Name, Title, Email, and Phone Number
Describe the agency's reason for wanting to participate in this initiative.*
Describe the agency representative's ability to influence changes in agency policy and practice to promote a stigma free environment for people who use drugs. *
Describe your agency's commitment to transforming agency policies and practices to ensure the provision of quality, non-judgmental, and stigma-free care for people who use drugs. *
Where in the organization will you focus your DUH CBI intervention (e.g. entire agency, specific program/department within the agency)?*
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Building Agency Capacity for Drug User Health: An Initiative to Ensure Access to Health Care Services for People Who Use Drugs

Drug User Health Capacity Building Initiative Agency Application