Are Harm Reduction Workers allowed to Administer Naloxone?
Speakers:
• Professor Paul Dietze – Burnet Institute
• Andrea Fischer – cohealth
• Shelley Cogger – North Richmond Community Health
• Richie Goonan – Youth Projects
• Sione Crawford – Harm Reduction Victoria
More information: In October 2022 legislation governing the supply of naloxone in Victoria was reformed expanding access to the existing take-home naloxone program to allow harm reduction workers to directly hand out naloxone while also allowing for secondary distribution of naloxone via peer-to-peer distribution. While the expanded program has been welcomed by the harm reduction and the broader AOD sector, there is a significant and deeply concerning limitations. These limitations restrict harm reduction workers to only educating potential users and to supplying naloxone. Harm reduction workers are not permitted to administer naloxone while at work without first calling 000 and being directed to by the operator, which will at times act as a risk-increasing barrier in life-saving moments where every second is crucial.
Please join us to hear what experts and harm reduction practitioners have to say about these limitations.