HaRePo (Harm Reduction by Post): An innovative and effective harm reduction program for drug users: remotely service using mail, telephone and post service to provide harm reduction tools and counseling.


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    <p>ID: HR19-1364</p>

    <p><i>Presenting author:</i>
                                    Magally TORRES LEGUIZAMON                        </p>

    <h4 class="My(0)">Presenting author biography:</h4>
            Magally Torres-Leguizamon is a Ph.d in genetics statistical analysis. She works since 1994 with addict street children in Colombia. She was drug users support center coordinator in France. Since 2017, she works at SAFE developing harms reductions tools, and studying risk and sanitary problems associated to psychoactive substances.    
    <h1 class="Fz(1.3rem)">HaRePo (Harm Reduction by Post): An innovative and effective harm reduction program for drug users: remotely service using mail, telephone and post service to provide harm reduction tools and counseling.</h1>

    <p>Catherine DUPLESSY, Magally TORRES LEGUIZAMON, Thomas NEFAU, Jérôme PALLAS, Laurene COLLARD, Brigitte REILLER</p>

    <p>Issue: <br />
Despite the development of several harm reduction (HR) programs, there are still many people who use drugs (PWUD) who do not have access those services in France. In fact, PWUD often report their difficulties to find HR tools for several reasons: difficulty to reach the services (remoteness and/or limited customer service hours), costs or lack of confidentiality in pharmacy, quantitative restrictions, unfamiliarity with HR programs, fear of judgment… Based on these observations, SAFE association created HaRePo in 2011, a free program designed for people who have difficulties to access HR paraphernalia and council. The program shows evidence of a positive feedback loop towards PWUD who improve their practices through remote but trustful communication. HaRePo represents a clear benefit for health authorities in France that decided in 2015 to expand the program. Several French associations (CAARUD 52, SAUVEGARDE DU NORD, CEID, and ESPACE) have joined the program in order to deploy it in French regions, in partnership with Federation Addiction. SAFE pilots and coordinates HaRePo training and deployment. <br />
Project  <br />
PWUD can access the program by phone and/or email. An HR professional is available to answer, deliver HR counseling, propose orientations toward other HR services and prepare and send all the materials, according to the person’s needs, through French postal service to nearly anybody across France. It is a truly individualized and customized service. <br />
Outcomes <br />
Since its creation more than 1,6OO people have benefited from the program, more than 1.5 million of syringes and 5,5 millions of HR paraphernalia has been distributed. Furthermore, between 40 and 75% of beneficiaries of HaRePo report that both their practices and the perception of their own health status have improved.<br />
Our common goal is to develop this program further in the future, and to keep monitoring its positive impact on the Health of PWUD.</p>
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