Many cities have been affected by the overdose crisis, but Philadelphia has been hit especially hard. The City has responded by creating the division of Substance Use Prevention and Harm Reduction (SUPHR), which focuses on improving the health and well-being of people who use drugs in Philadelphia.
SUPHR has nine teams: Bereavement (Philly HEALs), Communications, Community Engagement, Environmental Services, Epidemiology, Harm Reduction, Medical, Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (Philly LIFTS), and Overdose Fatality Review (OD Stat). The teams work to prevent overdoses and other health issues by offering services and shaping policies to promote the dignity, autonomy, and health of people who use drugs.
Just a few things SUPHR offers are overdose prevention trainings, support to families with babies born with neonatal abstinence syndrome, and a same-day pay program focused on creating job opportunities while cleaning communities. Since so many Philadelphians have been touched by the overdose crisis, SUPHR also provides counseling to children and adults who have lost someone in their life to an overdose.
Behind the scenes, SUPHR works with other City agencies, hospitals, and community groups to ensure that everyone is working together to combat stigma and encourage harm reduction efforts. SUPHR recognizes that many communities have been dealing with substance use for a long time, and SUPHR is invested in giving communities the tools they need to keep people who use drugs, their loved ones, and the larger community healthy and safe.
