Harm reduction is critical to keeping people who use drugs alive and as healthy as possible, and is a key pillar in  overdose prevention strategy. Harm reduction is a proactive and evidence-based approach to reduce the negative personal and public health impacts of behavior associated with alcohol and other substance use at both the individual and community levels.

Yuba Harm Reduction Collective’s mission is to offer low-barrier, person-centered, judgement-free resources, education, advocacy, and mutual support services in ways that reduce stigma, ensure dignity, maximize self-determination, decrease health risks, create open dialogues, and empower people who use drugs.

YHRC can provide NARCAN Naloxone and fentanyl test strips.

Web pages

• Yuba Harm Reduction Collective - https://yubaharmreduction.com/
• National Harm Reduction Coalition - https://harmreduction.org/

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About Naloxone & Fentanyl

• Naloxone (name of medication) or Narcan™ (a common brand name) is a drug used to reverse an opioid overdose, including overdoses due to fentanyl. It is available without a prescription and legal to carry. Opioids include heroin, fentanyl, and prescription opioid medications such as oxycodone (OxyContin®), hydrocodone (Vicodin®), codeine, and morphine. Naloxone must be given quickly and 911 should be called to respond with additional care. After a quick training, anyone can administer naloxone to another person who has overdosed on opioids. 
• Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 50-100 times stronger than morphine. Many individuals consume fentanyl without their knowledge (because they don’t realize that it is in the drugs they’re using), while others are intentionally using fentanyl because of its potency.  
• Fentanyl test strips are used to test drugs for the presence of fentanyl. Because fentanyl may not be evenly distributed throughout a product (known as the chocolate chip cookie effect), test strips may not always be able to accurately detect the presence of fentanyl. 
• California's 911 Good Samaritan law (AB 472) provides limited protection from arrest, charge and prosecution for people who seek emergency medical assistance at the scene of a suspected drug overdose. https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=1799.102.&lawCode=HSC