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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260319T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260319T173000
DTSTAMP:20260525T140212
CREATED:20260120T194216Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260225T134113Z
UID:10000216-1773936000-1773941400@syncconference.org
SUMMARY:Leading from the Body: A New Paradigm for Trauma-Informed Leadership
DESCRIPTION:In today’s climate of burnout\, fear\, and fragmentation\, leadership requires more than strategy—it calls for presence\, relational courage\, and embodiment. Leading from the Body introduces a trauma-informed leadership model rooted in somatic awareness and relational intelligence. This approach recognizes that trauma is not only cognitive—it is emotional\, non-verbal\, and stored in the nervous system. As such\, healing and leadership must begin in the body. \nThis interactive session explores how lived experience and embodied presence shape culture\, relationships\, and organizational change. Participants will engage three foundational principles: \n\nThe Power of Presence: how grounding and awareness impact safety and trust\nBoundaries Before Belonging: why containment is essential for authentic connection\nBefriending Triggers: reframing reactivity as an invitation to relational growth\n\nThrough experiential practices\, somatic reflection\, and real-time scenarios\, attendees will learn the difference between cognitive approaches to trauma-informed care and relational embodiment. The session challenges binary roles such as “leader vs. employee” or “healer vs. the one being healed\,” inviting a more human-centered\, shared paradigm: we are all in this together. \nParticipants will leave with three sustainable practices to support embodied leadership\, including nervous system regulation tools\, relational check-in models\, and reflective practice frameworks. \nThis session is ideal for leaders\, practitioners\, and changemakers ready to shift from managing trauma to healing in community. Trauma-informed leadership is not a fixed destination—it’s a living\, relational practice. This session offers a path to lead from integrity\, resilience\, and the body.
URL:https://syncconference.org/agenda/leading-from-the-body-a-new-paradigm-for-trauma-informed-leadership/
LOCATION:Potomac B
CATEGORIES:Track Session
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://syncconference.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/TrackHero-DrugUserHealth.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260319T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260319T173000
DTSTAMP:20260525T140212
CREATED:20260120T183958Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260225T164322Z
UID:10000183-1773936000-1773941400@syncconference.org
SUMMARY:Breaking Barriers\, Increasing Safety for Special Populations
DESCRIPTION:Meeting the ever-changing landscape and needs of a community is necessary but is it easy? Absolutely\, not. Boston’s Mass and Cass neighborhood has become the resting place for many who are actively consuming substances\, experiencing homelessness and are at risk of facing street-based trauma. \nIn 2022 Victory Programs opened its doors to The Victory Connector\, a new drop in space in the Mass and Cass neighborhood. A neighborhood that was already home to methadone clinics\, Boston Medical Center (the city hospital)\, Harm Reduction Providers and two homeless shelters. What could Victory Programs do that was different and meeting an unmet need? \nThe Victory Connector serves as a hub for women\, transgender and non-binary individuals navigating the beginning stages of seeking community\, by offering a safe environment to alleviate the isolation resulting from social stigma\, marginalization and street-based trauma. \nA low threshold\, low barrier program that offers a community of support by staff and peers. The Victory Connector offers safer consumption supplies\, HIV/STI testing\, Family Planning Services\, social support\, healthcare navigation\, housing support and hygiene supplies. \nCreating a safer space for populations that often have a harder time accessing service do to gender\, identity and sexual orientation was at the forefront of the development of the Connector. By creating an environment that is safer for specific populations Victory Programs is opening doors to other services and decreasing barriers.
URL:https://syncconference.org/agenda/breaking-barriers-increasing-safety-for-special-populations/
LOCATION:Potomac B
CATEGORIES:Track Session
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://syncconference.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/TrackHero-DrugUserHealth.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260319T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260319T173000
DTSTAMP:20260525T140212
CREATED:20260120T172850Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260225T170407Z
UID:10000176-1773936000-1773941400@syncconference.org
SUMMARY:The Healing Room: Yoga and Other Alternative Healing Modalities as Tools for Harm Reduction
DESCRIPTION:The integration of yoga and other alternative healing modalities into harm reduction strategies represents a growing\, holistic approach to addressing substance use\, mental health challenges\, and trauma. Harm reduction\, traditionally focused on minimizing the negative consequences of drug use and other high-risk behaviors\, can be enhanced by incorporating mind-body practices that foster self-regulation and awareness\, resilience\, and embodied awareness and healing. \nYoga\, with its emphasis on breath control\, physical postures\, and meditative focus\, has shown promise in reducing stress\, improving emotional regulation\, and increasing body awareness—key factors in interrupting cycles of addiction and promoting recovery. Reiki’s potential role in harm reduction for harm reduction lies in its ability to reduce stress and anxiety\, support emotional healing\, and promote overall well-being. \nThis session explores the emerging evidence supporting yoga and other healing modalities as a complementary harm reduction tool\, particularly in underserved or high-risk populations. Drawing on interdisciplinary research\, community-based programs\, and trauma-informed frameworks\, it underscores alternative healing modalities potential to serve not as a replacement for clinical treatment but as an accessible\, empowering adjunct that supports individual agency\, healing\, and long-term well-being. Visitors to The Healing Room will participate in a presentation and guided discussion of the use of alternative healing modalities followed by a 20-30 minute Restorative yoga practice.
URL:https://syncconference.org/agenda/the-healing-room-yoga-and-other-alternative-healing-modalities-as-tools-for-harm-reduction/
LOCATION:Studio A
CATEGORIES:Track Session
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://syncconference.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/TrackHero-DrugUserHealth.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260319T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260319T173000
DTSTAMP:20260525T140212
CREATED:20260120T172407Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260225T171136Z
UID:10000175-1773936000-1773941400@syncconference.org
SUMMARY:Successes in Diagnosis and Linkage Where HIV and Viral Hepatitis Testing Programming Occurs Within a Syringe Service Program (SSP)
DESCRIPTION:Queen City Harm Reduction (QCHR) is the only organization expressly centered around harm reduction principles and syringe access in Mecklenburg County\, North Carolina\, where the city of Charlotte is based\, and seeks to minimize the harms associated with substance use and other intersecting conditions such as sex work\, justice involvement\, and homelessness. QCHR proactively educates peers and the community on drug user health promoting prevention of infectious disease\, overdose\, and compassionate care. Through an extensive testing and linkage program\, it has become clear that when full wrap-around services are offered within a trusted SSP\, there will be fewer barriers for people who use drugs (PWUD)\, people engaging in sex work\, and other marginalized populations to access care. Education is also more accessible for these populations when it is provided in a setting where they have trust and rapport with the outreach workers providing it\, as well as where they have access to supplies needed to engage in prevention practices.
URL:https://syncconference.org/agenda/successes-in-diagnosis-and-linkage-where-hiv-and-viral-hepatitis-testing-programming-occurs-within-a-syringe-service-program-ssp/
LOCATION:Studio A
CATEGORIES:Track Session
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://syncconference.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/TrackHero-DrugUserHealth.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260319T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260319T173000
DTSTAMP:20260525T140212
CREATED:20260120T172145Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260225T170143Z
UID:10000174-1773936000-1773941400@syncconference.org
SUMMARY:Empowerment Circle: A Peer-Led Recovery Support Group Integrating HIV Prevention\, Harm Reduction\, and Whole-Community Wellness
DESCRIPTION:The Empowerment Circle is a peer-led recovery support group serving individuals impacted by substance use\, trauma\, HIV\, and systemic health disparities across the broader community—including LGBTQ+ populations\, returning citizens\, older adults\, and people with lived experience of homelessness. What makes this model unique is its inclusive approach: while centering recovery\, it intentionally brings together diverse participants in a shared healing space. \nHosted weekly at the AmaSSi Wellness Center in Baltimore\, Maryland\, the Empowerment Circle uses a trauma-informed and harm reduction framework to promote emotional\, physical\, and sexual health. The group structure is guided by SAMHSA’s four dimensions of recovery—Health\, Home\, Purpose\, and Community—and incorporates simplified lesson plans\, HIV prevention tools\, and low-barrier access to care. Participants engage in peer discussions\, relapse prevention planning\, linkage to resources\, and expressive art therapy in collaboration with interns from the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA). \nThis program bridges clinical services with community engagement\, offering free HIV testing\, Narcan education\, and creative coping strategies. The Empowerment Circle creates a safe and affirming environment where all are welcomed—regardless of identity\, background\, or recovery stage.
URL:https://syncconference.org/agenda/empowerment-circle-a-peer-led-recovery-support-group-integrating-hiv-prevention-harm-reduction-and-whole-community-wellness/
LOCATION:Studio A
CATEGORIES:Track Session
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://syncconference.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/TrackHero-DrugUserHealth.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260319T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260319T173000
DTSTAMP:20260525T140212
CREATED:20260120T170540Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260313T181939Z
UID:10000167-1773936000-1773941400@syncconference.org
SUMMARY:Diverse\, Low Barrier MAT Programs: Case Studies for Increasing Access to Prevent Overdose
DESCRIPTION:In response to the opioid overdose epidemic\, national efforts to increase access to medication assisted treatment (MAT) have driven key policy changes in an effort to promote access to lifesaving treatment such as methadone and buprenorphine. Facente Consulting and The Center at the Sierra Health Foundation partnered to assess the current landscape of MAT services throughout several settings in California\, and created a series of case study videos\, a landscape analysis report\, and policy briefs. This presentation will explore the process and findings of this landscape analysis\, sharing some key case study videos and highlighting the various creative ways that programs have integrated MAT treatment into existing models even if they do not have a prescribing provider onsite. Participants will become familiarized with the meaning and significance of low barriers services in an MAT setting\, and will discuss various ways that MAT programs have been successful in preventing overdose and improving the overall health and wellness of their clients through provision of MAT.
URL:https://syncconference.org/agenda/diverse-low-barrier-mat-programs-case-studies-for-increasing-access-to-prevent-overdose/
LOCATION:Studio A
CATEGORIES:Track Session
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://syncconference.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/TrackHero-DrugUserHealth.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260319T104500
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260319T121500
DTSTAMP:20260525T140212
CREATED:20260120T172030Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260306T180941Z
UID:10000173-1773917100-1773922500@syncconference.org
SUMMARY:Cool Kids Carry Narcan: A Rural Community Model for Equitable Naloxone Access and Overdose Prevention
DESCRIPTION:Cool Kids Carry Narcan is a rural overdose prevention initiative led by Berkshire Harm Reduction\, a program of Berkshire Health Systems in western Massachusetts. Designed to address geographic and racial inequities in naloxone access\, the project currently installs and maintains 124 public NaloxBoxes while pairing distribution with community training and stigma-reduction campaigns. \nThrough partnerships with law enforcement\, housing authorities\, libraries\, and local residents\, naloxone has become both accessible and visible—reshaping perceptions around harm reduction in a county with the state’s highest overdose fatality rate. \nPreliminary data show a 13% reduction in overall overdose deaths and an 83% decline in BIPOC fatalities\, marking measurable progress toward equity. By combining healthcare infrastructure with grassroots collaboration\, Cool Kids Carry Narcan demonstrates how rural communities can turn harm reduction into a visible\, shared practice of care.
URL:https://syncconference.org/agenda/cool-kids-carry-narcan-a-rural-community-model-for-equitable-naloxone-access-and-overdose-prevention/
LOCATION:Potomac B
CATEGORIES:Track Session
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://syncconference.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/TrackHero-DrugUserHealth.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260319T104500
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260319T121500
DTSTAMP:20260525T140212
CREATED:20260120T171624Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260306T181103Z
UID:10000172-1773917100-1773922500@syncconference.org
SUMMARY:Inaugural Year Highlights from the Harm Reduction Services Program: San Diego County’s First Government-Run Syringe Service Program
DESCRIPTION:In April 2024\, San Diego County launched its Harm Reduction Services Program (HRSP)\, the region’s first government-run syringe service initiative. Designed to address the intersecting crises of overdose\, HIV\, and hepatitis C among people who use drugs\, HRSP operates through a mobile delivery model\, providing low-barrier\, stigma-free services in underserved communities identified through a comprehensive Community Readiness Assessment. Services provided include sterile syringe access and disposal\, safer sex and smoking supplies\, naloxone distribution and education\, fentanyl and xylazine test strips\, HIV and hepatitis C testing and linkage to care\, basic medical consults\, and connection with housing\, transportation\, mental health\, and substance use treatment services. \nIn alignment with harm reduction principles\, HRSP does not require any formal identification and prioritizes meeting participants where they’re at\, with dignity and respect. In its first year\, HRSP reached 618 unique participants and facilitated 1\,823 program visits. Nearly 75% of program participants are unhoused\, underscoring the importance of the program’s personal care supplies. Notably\, in 63% of program visits\, participants reported collecting supplies for others in addition to themselves\, highlighting HRSP’s extended reach into the community. Over the course of the year\, a total of 2\,305 boxes of naloxone were dispensed\, and 517 overdose reversals were reported by program participants. These early outcomes reflect both the program’s meaningful impact and its success in building trust within the community. As HRSP enters its second year\, the program continues to grow while remaining grounded in its commitment to providing compassionate\, person-centered care for San Diego County residents.
URL:https://syncconference.org/agenda/inaugural-year-highlights-from-the-harm-reduction-services-program-san-diego-countys-first-government-run-syringe-service-program/
LOCATION:Potomac B
CATEGORIES:Track Session
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://syncconference.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/TrackHero-DrugUserHealth.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260319T104500
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260319T121500
DTSTAMP:20260525T140212
CREATED:20260120T171503Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260225T154534Z
UID:10000171-1773917100-1773922500@syncconference.org
SUMMARY:Harm Reduction: Getting It Right
DESCRIPTION:What is harm reduction\, really? Is it voting? Is it seat belts? Is it naloxone? While public health often treats harm reduction as a list of tools or strategies\, this session invites us to dig deeper\, into the philosophy\, politics\, and contradictions of harm itself. We’ll ask: Is harm inherent\, or is it produced? What are the social\, structural\, and emotional conditions that create or intensify harm? Who decides what harm is\, and who is forced to experience it? \nThis conversation centers harm reduction not as a checklist\, but as a justice-rooted framework\, a commitment to dignity\, autonomy\, and survival in a world that often withholds those things. We’ll explore how harm is exacerbated by systems of criminalization\, medical neglect\, stigma\, and control\, especially for people who use drugs\, sell sex\, live with chronic illness\, or navigate poverty\, racism\, and ableism. We’ll interrogate how harm reduction gets watered down\, co-opted\, or professionalized into meaninglessness\, and what it means to reclaim it as a radical\, liberatory practice. \nThrough discussion\, storytelling\, and collective inquiry\, we’ll challenge dominant narratives and get to the root: not just how to reduce harm\, but how to understand where it comes from\, who it impacts\, and what it would take to truly transform the conditions that produce it. \nThis session is for public health workers\, care providers\, organizers\, and community members who want to get real about harm\, and get it right.
URL:https://syncconference.org/agenda/harm-reduction-getting-it-right/
LOCATION:Studio C
CATEGORIES:Track Session
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://syncconference.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/TrackHero-DrugUserHealth.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260319T104500
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260319T121500
DTSTAMP:20260525T140212
CREATED:20260120T170926Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260309T144203Z
UID:10000168-1773917100-1773922500@syncconference.org
SUMMARY:Participant Perspectives on Contingency Management for Stimulant Use Treatment
DESCRIPTION:Contingency Management (CM) is a behavioral intervention option for stimulant use that involves immediate\, tangible rewards to individuals to reinforce positive self-identified behavior change. In 2023\, in response to rising rates of stimulant overdose deaths\, California became the first state in the U.S. to offer CM as a benefit through public insurance. Having already embraced CM over two decades prior through the Positive Reinforcement Opportunity Project (PROP)—originally designed for men who have sex with men to reduce sexually transmitted infections through reducing methamphetamine use—San Francisco was well positioned to expand this model\, and over the last two years expanded CM to more than a dozen programs throughout the city benefitting diverse populations. \nThe San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH) partnered with Facente Consulting to engage in focus groups and interviews with over 50 participants currently engaged in CM programs in San Francisco to assess impact and identify recommendations for programmatic expansion.
URL:https://syncconference.org/agenda/participant-perspectives-on-contingency-management/
LOCATION:Studio C
CATEGORIES:Track Session
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://syncconference.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/TrackHero-DrugUserHealth.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260319T104500
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260319T121500
DTSTAMP:20260525T140212
CREATED:20260120T170217Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260225T154247Z
UID:10000165-1773917100-1773922500@syncconference.org
SUMMARY:An Indictment of US Public Health Policy on Pain and Addiction Management
DESCRIPTION:This presentation addresses the intersection of issues in health equity and justice\, versus health advocacy and policy\, to identify and contradict the significant misdirection and fatal errors of science in recent opioid prescribing guidelines of the US CDC and Veterans Administration with a critical review of published clinical and demographic data on safety and effectiveness of prescription opioid analgesic pain relievers.
URL:https://syncconference.org/agenda/an-indictment-of-us-public-health-policy-on-pain-and-addiction-management/
LOCATION:Studio C
CATEGORIES:Track Session
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://syncconference.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/TrackHero-DrugUserHealth.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260318T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260318T173000
DTSTAMP:20260525T140212
CREATED:20260120T193050Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260225T143616Z
UID:10000210-1773849600-1773855000@syncconference.org
SUMMARY:Radical Rapport: Trauma-Informed and Culturally Rooted Harm Reduction
DESCRIPTION:Radical Rapport is a dynamic\, trauma-informed training/presentation designed to help harm reduction providers and health professionals build deeper trust with Black\, Brown\, Indigenous and LGBTQ+ communities. Through reflection\, skill-building\, and cultural humility\, Dr. Vivid guides participants toward creating safer spaces rooted in affirmation\, not assumption. This training centers identity\, orientation\, expression\, plant medicine\, and spiritual healing as vital to holistic harm reduction.
URL:https://syncconference.org/agenda/radical-rapport-trauma-informed-and-culturally-rooted-harm-reduction/
LOCATION:Studio E
CATEGORIES:Track Session
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://syncconference.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/TrackHero-DrugUserHealth.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260318T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260318T173000
DTSTAMP:20260525T140212
CREATED:20260120T192946Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260225T143222Z
UID:10000209-1773849600-1773855000@syncconference.org
SUMMARY:Integrating Harm Reduction into Primary Care
DESCRIPTION:Integrating harm reduction conversations into primary care visits can help to provide education\, resources\, and support for behavioral change for the patient\, their family\, and their community. Patients are already considering their safety related to substance use and pain control but may not know all the facts or strategies to keep themselves and their loved ones safe. Asking patients without judgment about how they control pain and use substances can open communication between patients and healthcare providers. \nIncreased screening around substance use and medication misuse has led to patients receiving and utilizing naloxone and fentanyl test strips and distributing them to their friends\, family\, and neighbors. It also helps patients understand the risks related to medication and drug interactions and the drug adulterants like xylazine. Additionally\, screening and support during medical visits allows for withdrawal management support and induction of medication assisted treatment (MAT)\, like naltrexone and suboxone immediately when patients express readiness to quit. \nManaging MAT in primary care helps to break down barriers to effective substance use treatment that otherwise would require a referral to outpatient\, intensive outpatient\, or residential drug and alcohol treatment that can delay or deter patients accessing care. There will be reflection and analysis of different interventions used by a behavioral health consultant in an HIV primary care setting.
URL:https://syncconference.org/agenda/integrating-harm-reduction-into-primary-care/
LOCATION:Studio E
CATEGORIES:Track Session
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://syncconference.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/TrackHero-DrugUserHealth.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260318T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260318T173000
DTSTAMP:20260525T140212
CREATED:20260120T192801Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260316T152610Z
UID:10000208-1773849600-1773855000@syncconference.org
SUMMARY:Beyond Narcan: A Black Health Equity Approach to Opioid Capacity Building in Washington\, DC
DESCRIPTION:Us Helping Us\, People Into Living\, Inc.\, a Black-led\, LGBTQ+-affirming health organization in Washington\, DC\, developed a harm reduction and capacity-building model rooted in health equity to address the opioid crisis. While naloxone distribution remains vital\, we go beyond it by centering legal literacy\, reducing stigma\, and community empowerment. Our work through the Bishop Rainey Cheeks Center of Excellence in Harm Reduction (RaCCE/HR) and the district’s opioid abatement initiative provides trainings and resources that prepare ordinary citizens to intervene in overdose situations and link individuals to long-term care. \nOur approach integrates culturally affirming\, community-rooted education strategies\, including the Hip Hop 2 Prevent (H2P) school curriculum\, a stigma-busting multimedia campaign\, and hands-on training for faith-based and grassroots organizations. This model provides a replicable blueprint for building sustainable community responses to opioid use that shift the frame from crisis response to prevention\, resilience\, and recovery.
URL:https://syncconference.org/agenda/beyond-narcan-a-black-health-equity-approach-to-opioid-capacity-building-in-washington-dc/
LOCATION:Studio E
CATEGORIES:Track Session
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://syncconference.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/TrackHero-DrugUserHealth.jpg
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR