Implementing harm reduction kits in an office-based addiction treatment program.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Addiction Medicine
• Quality Improvement

Background:

• Rising drug use complications necessitate integrated care models.
• Historically siloed addiction treatment and harm reduction services in the US require a paradigm shift.
• Office-based addiction treatment (OBAT) settings offer a patient-centered approach for co-located services.

Discussion:

• Integrating harm reduction kits into OBAT clinics addresses a critical gap in care for people who use drugs.
• The co-location of harm reduction services within addiction treatment settings enhances accessibility and patient engagement.
• A quality improvement program successfully implemented universal offering and distribution of harm reduction kits.

Key Insights:

• A quality improvement program integrated harm reduction kits into an urban OBAT clinic.
• 28% of in-person visits resulted in at least one kit request, with 121 kits distributed in one month.
• Staff, clinicians, and patients reported high feasibility, acceptability, appropriateness, and positive perceptions.

Outlook:

• Kit integration in OBAT settings improves the standard of care for people who use drugs.
• This approach increases patient access to and utilization of essential, life-saving harm reduction services.
• Demonstrates a significant unmet need, supporting the expansion of integrated harm reduction within addiction treatment frameworks.