Renew and Expand Syringe Service Program Funding

Renew and expand the California Harm Reduction Initiative(CHRI). This program has been an amazing success and has saved so many lives. SSPs account for nearly 60% of the 133,000 reported overdose reversals. This is despite receiving less than a third of the Naloxone distributed by California. CHRI doubled the number of participants reached by Syringe Service Programs and as a result California SSPs gave Naloxone to 73% more people. CHRI funded SSPs provided 75% more syringes, and 63% more Naloxone than other SSPs in the US. They gave out double the Fentanyl Test strips. 83% of CHRI supported SSPs provided MAT services vs 31% of non-CHRI SSPs. Despite this wild success Harm Reduction Funding has been left out of this year's budget and California SSPs are still 46% below the funding levels recommended by the CDC. Without this funding more people will die. With proper funding so many more people can live. This is a massive public health issue and SSPs are on the front lines. They need the funding and support necessary to function.