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communications and data management tools should be available to harm reduction programs to facilitate sustained service delivery and to help build connectivity between program and participants, while allowing for the creation of privacy protected records, to ensure people do not ‘fall through the cracks’ due to staff turnover or changes in behavior patterns by PWUD. Analysis of emergency and social service utilization (e.g., contacts with hospitals, EMS, or law enforcement) may aid programs in identifying and proactively reaching out to those at high risk of overdose. As always with harm reduction programs, all services are voluntary and at the discretion of the person seeking services. However, it is critical to recognize that the person being served may be suffering from addiction, a chronic brain disorder. Therefore, proactively checking in on a person, expressing concern and encouraging them to drop by a mobile clinic, or offering naloxone and support services can save lives while still fully respecting the autonomy and agency of PWUD. New innovations in connecting to PWUD, through street outreach and distribution of supplies, developed during the pandemic should be made permanent. Federal agencies should develop and disseminate data management practice guidelines that help harm reduction staff provide services while protecting the privacy interests of patients. HHS, DOJ, and ONDCP should consult with data science experts in government, non-profits, and the private sector to identify the most effective tools and approaches to put them in the hands of those working in direct service to reduce overdoses and improve the health and safety of PWUD. This work should inform the publication of guidance documents, the provision of technical assistance and the updating of substance-related grant guidance by DOJ, HHS, and ONDCP to ensure such technological support is an allowable use for federal funds. Principle 4: Support Partnerships on Harm Reduction Key partners in public health, other SUD system and drug policy stakeholders may have important questions, as well as insights and suggestions for harm reduction administrators and staff. ONDCP will seek to foster dialogue, surface key issues, and use what is learned to both enhance mutual understanding, improve communications strategies, and to identify additional opportunities to better meet the needs of Americans impacted by SUD. A. Consult with experts on harm reduction. (Agencies Involved: DOJ/OJP; DOS; HHS/CDC, HRSA, NIH, SAMHSA; ONDCP; VA/VHA) Given that the majority of people with SUD are not engaged in treatment, harm reduction is a valuable and under-utilized public health tool. It is critically important to identify ways to better integrate harm reduction services with other health initiatives, to continue research and data collection, and to further improve existing harm reduction initiatives. ONDCP, in collaboration with other agencies listed above will seek, through ad hoc meetings and exchanges, to learn from the experiences of federal, state, and local officials and harm reduction organizations to ensure we understand the state of harm reduction programs today around the country and the challenges they, and their partners in government face. « « « « « « NATIONAL DRUG CONTROL STRATEGY 43 B. Facilitate increased dialogue among prevention, treatment, public health, and harm reduction communities. (Agencies Involved: DOJ; HHS; ONDCP) Dialogue between groups and individuals with different perspectives can identify areas of common ground and potential options for improved collaboration. People with SUD often move back and forth between harm reduction programs and SUD programs. Dialogue between administrators from both groups can make this experience smoother for program participants, wherever they are provided. During the overdose epidemic, a range of health and social service providers, peer recovery support organizations, first responders, and hospitals launched innovative pilot programs. The last five years have seen the expansion of recovery community organizations and a variety of treatment providers engaging with PWUD at different stages of their SUD and recovery journeys. At the same time, the connectivity between incarceration settings and behavioral health providers is growing. These experiences should inform the dialogue. ONDCP, HHS, and DOJ should organize discussions between harm reduction, treatment, and recovery groups and disseminate principles highlighting where common ground was identified. C. Encourage the coordinated use of federal grant funds for harm reduction. (Agencies Involved: DOJ/OJP; HHS/CDC, HRSA, SAMHSA; ONDCP) Many harm reduction services are eligible for federal funding through states. However, most states have, to date, dedicated only limited amounts of their prevention and treatment federal grant funds to SSPs and other harm reduction initiatives. There may be obstacles to such funding, such as record-keeping or other federal or state laws that impede distributing grant funds to harm reduction organizations. HHS and DOJ should identify and address federal barriers and issue guidance to improve comprehensive community-based harm reduction programs’ access to federal grant funds, including for health screening and linkage to 

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