How would a certification in harm reduction impact service delivery and the harm reduction workforce? A qualitative...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Substance Use Interventions

Background:

• Harm reduction strategies aim to mitigate negative health and social impacts of substance use.
• The expansion of harm reduction services in the U.S. lacks standardized professional certification, leading to workforce training variations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the harm reduction workforce's perspectives on the impact of professional certification on service delivery and the profession.

Main Methods:

• Purposive sampling surveyed 168 administrators of syringe services programs.
• Thematic analysis evaluated 152 respondents' views on the helpfulness of harm reduction certification.

Main Results:

• 55% of respondents found certification helpful, citing standardized training, field legitimization, and accessible certification processes.
• 45% opposed certification, viewing it as exclusionary, less valuable than lived experience, and lacking a regulatory body.

Conclusions:

• Harm reduction certification elicits varied workforce perceptions, impacting service delivery and professional recognition.
• Despite differing views on certification, the workforce universally supports harm reduction's role in addressing the drug use epidemic.
• Further research is needed to address workforce and organizational needs regarding harm reduction certification.