Uniting Peers for the Rights of Injectors and
Sex Workers Everywhere
9 th National Harm Reduction Conference
November 16, 2012

NYHRE is the largest syringe exchange program on the east coast and provides integrated health and social services to active and former substance users and sex workers in East Harlem and the South Bronx.
Our participants are some of the most marginalized & stigmatized individuals in our society. They suffer unemployment, unstable housing, high incarceration rates and a higher than average incidence of negative health issues.
Our participants are male, female and transgender adults, mostly people of color: 67% Latino/a; 25%
African American; 5% Caucasian.

UPRISE is both a return to NYHRE’s activist roots and a next step in addressing community need through peer-based efforts.
UPRISE Peers are individuals who belong(ed) to social networks of substance users and sex workers.
They are able to easily engage other individuals within these social networks, provide them with information and help them to live healthier and more stable lives.

UPRISE works with participants in a way that respects and honors their autonomy and individuality while also creating a very real foundation for self-empowerment and self-efficacy.
UPRISE provides the opportunity to educate and empower substance users and sex workers to be health educators in addition to activists and advocates—responding to inequities in public benefits administration, homelessness and affordable housing provision, substance use treatment, and the criminal justice process.

1) To provide opportunities for our participants to learn comprehensive information about harm reduction, public health, and community advocacy and outreach.
2) To help our participants and communities gain the knowledge and experience to effectively participate in the democratic political process in order to affect change in the areas that are important to them.
3) To create formal leadership positions from which
UPRISE Peers can continue their community advocacy and outreach work with and outside of
NYHRE.

NYHRE participants who have received services for at least 3 months prior to applying.
Includes: participation with the syringe exchange program, attendance of groups, attendance of political events, use of harm reduction counseling or mental health services, use of acupuncture services, or participation in structured interventions.
Interviews are conducted with 20 applicants – 10 applicants are selected for the upcoming Cycle.

Peer Training and Education
Participation in 15-week, 30-session workshops
Pre-test & post-test with passing score of 80% or higher
6-month Field Practicum
UPRISE Peers work approximately 10 hours a week (2-3 shifts/week) during practicum, and are compensated with a stipend of $7 per hour & unlimited Metro card.
UPRISE Peers may utilize syringe exchange services, harm reduction counseling & mental health services, and all other NYHRE services throughout training program.

Held bi-annually on Tuesdays, from 10am to
5pm for 15 weeks.
Up to three sessions can be missed, provided the peer trainee take the initiative to make them up before the post-test is administered.

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Orientation, paper work, pre-test, assessment 1
Harm Reduction
Drugs 101
Safer Injection Use
Opioid Overdose Response/prevention and
Naloxone Administration
Buprenorphine
Drug Treatment & Drug Use Management

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Sex Positive Sexual Health and Anatomy
Safer Sex and STIs
HIV—History, Risk & Prevention; Treatment &
Resources
Hepatitis C—Risk and Prevention, Symptoms,
Progression and Treatment
Sex Work
Working with LGBQT participants

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Legislative Process; Testimony/Presentation
Peer & Participant Action; Public Speaking
Know Your Rights
Social Determinants & Health
De-Escalation
Basic Referrals and Paperwork

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Working as a Peer
Needlestick, Biohazard Materials, and SEP paperwork
Social Movement and Organizing
Domestic Violence, Physical & Sexual Abuse
Test Review
Supervised Street Site Outreach
Post-test; assessment 2; workshop evaluation

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Working with SEP staff on the mobile sites
Conducting street-based outreach and PDSE services
Participating in community building and organizing efforts
Providing program support to Harm Reduction
Counseling team
Attending bi-monthly peer group meetings
Participating in monthly individual supervision sessions
Participating in monthly NYC Peer Network meetings

Guest presenters: VOCAL-NY, Bronx Defenders, the
NYC Peer Network, the Harm Reduction Coalition,
Positive Health Project, Rainbow Coalition, and other community organizations.
Field Practicum support: UPRISE Peers are scheduled to work with VOCAL on a monthly basis to get involved in efforts to affect change in legislative policies.

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Level of participation in workshops
Completion of supervised Field Practicum shifts
Level of participation in community organizing and outreach activities
Completion additional community trainings or beginning further education
Level of additional responsibility the Peer trainees undertake
Level of participant satisfaction in the program
Improved self-advocacy skills & increased connection to community at the end of Field Practicum

Total of applicants
Total of peers enrolled
Total of peers completed workshop
Total of peers completed practicum
*Cycle 5 is not included in these numbers
[On week 5 of workshops]
335
41
29*
24*

Community Organizing & Outreach 2012
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911 Good Samaritan Law meetings, press conferences, and survey development
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National People Action Conference in Washington D.C. (3 days)
Public Health rallies at City Hall NYC
PDSE Conference
We Can End AIDS March in Washington DC during International

Community Organizing & Outreach 2012 (cont.)
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VOCAL March Against Congressman Grimm
International Overdose Awareness Day
Occupy Wall Street Anniversary/Robin Hood Tax March
Hearings on the Community Safety Act at Civil Rights

Community Trainings 2012
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Understanding Drug-Related Stigma HRC
HIV 101 NYC DOHMH T-Tap Program
Syringe Access Services & Engaging with Law Enforcement
HRC
Mental Health Wellness: Reintegration of LGBT With
Histories of Incarceration HRC
2012 Statewide Viral Hepatitis Conference NY State DOH
Hepatitis C Prevention: Beyond the Basics HRC
HIV Testing Module 1&2 Course NYC DOHMH T-Tap
Program

Community Trainings 2012 (cont.)
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Motivational Interviewing 201 HRC
Delivering HIV Positive Test Results NYC DOHMH T-
Tap Program
Understanding Viral Hepatitis A,B & C NYC DOHMH T-
Tap Program
Incorporating Customer Service into HIV Prevention
HRC
Opioid Overdose Prevention HRC
Self-care, Boundaries and Preventing Burnout HRC

Overall rating for the UPRISE workshops [1-10]
9.65
Did the training provide you with a better understanding of harm reduction?
100% YES
Do you feel that the training improved your ability to provide comprehensive and non-judgmental services to drug users and sex workers?
100% YES

UPRISE is the only Harm Reduction Peer program focusing on both health education & participant action as a comprehensive training curriculum
UPRISE has been used as a template for NYCDOH peer network meetings & trainings
UPRISE is well-positioned to lead discussions about Peer certification efforts with upcoming health care reform requirements

1 UPRISE Peer is now NYHRE Peer & Community
Development Associate
4 UPRISE Peers are now NYHRE Peer Harm Reduction
Counselors
1 UPRISE Peer is now NYHRE Peer SEP Educator
1 UPRISE Peer is now NYHRE Peer Data Assistant
2 UPRISE Peers are now NYHRE Front Desk Assistants
1 UPRISE Peer is now NYHRE Office Maintenance
Assistant
1 UPRISE Peer is now working with VOCAL-NY
1 UPRISE Peer is now working in Puerto Rico