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Author
Charles Santamaria -
Discovery PI
Maya Appley, MD, MPH
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Project Co-Author
Edgar Pulido, BS; Wesley Greene, BS; Sara Jones, BS; Stacy Castellanos, MA
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Abstract Title
Developing a Standardized, Trauma-Informed Approach to Harm Reduction Kit Distribution in a Student-Run Mobile Clinic
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Discovery AOC Petal or Dual Degree Program
Health Justice & Advocacy
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Abstract
Background
Student-run mobile clinics serve as low-barrier access points for harm reduction services among structurally marginalized populations. Although outreach-based approaches improve engagement and reduce preventable harms among people who use drugs, variability in how harm reduction materials are offered and explained can lead to inconsistent access across care settings.Objective
To develop and implement a standardized, trauma-informed framework for harm reduction kit distribution within a student-run mobile clinic.Methods
This quality improvement initiative standardized harm reduction delivery and introduced a structured tracking protocol for kit distribution. A multidisciplinary team of undergraduate, public health, and medical student volunteers collaborated with a community-based harm reduction organization to design a framework incorporating standardized messaging, defined volunteer roles, and integration into clinical and outreach workflows across two sites.Kits included safer smoking, safer injection, drug checking test strip kits, and wound care supplies, with safer sex materials incorporated into selected kits. All kits included information on local harm reduction and social service resources. Naloxone was offered as a low-barrier resource when appropriate or upon request. Distribution was guided by client preference and context. Longitudinal tracking and ongoing community partner feedback informed iterative refinement.
Results
Implementation established harm reduction kit distribution as a routine, optional component of care supported by clearly defined volunteer roles. Standardization and tracking reduced variability in distribution practices and improved consistency in delivery.Across approximately 8 weeks of early implementation, distribution patterns demonstrated an initial increase in demand, particularly for wound care kits (5 to 21 per clinic), with episodic high uptake of safer injection kits (up to 49) and test strip kits (up to 21). Subsequent variability informed adjustments to supply allocation, kit placement, and volunteer training. In later weeks, distribution stabilized, with wound care kits remaining most consistently utilized (approximately 12 to 19 per clinic) and sustained uptake across other kit types. Integration of resource information into kits supported development of a standardized harm reduction resource guide and improved awareness of available services.
A Community-based organization also provided a standardized training model for volunteers that included: Harm Reduction foundational principles; education on materials and their protective mechanisms; and field-based application with emphasis on client-centered communication and safer use strategies.Conclusions
A standardized, trauma-informed framework with integrated tracking is feasible in a student-run mobile clinic and improves consistency in safer use supplies delivery. Incorporating interdisciplinary workflows, resource integration, and community partner feedback supports iterative refinement and sustainability. This model offers a scalable approach to reducing variability in harm reduction access across mobile and community-based care settings.