2020–2021. Impact Report.
Overcoming the Stigma of Drug Use The United States has a tragic history of punishing people who use drugs instead of providing the care needed to help people use safely, protect their health and recover from addiction. Founded in 2017, NEXT Distro works to modernize and humanize the delivery of preventative health care services for people who use drugs.
.what we do &. how we do it.
NEXT Distro mails lifesaving medication (naloxone) and other harm reduction supplies to people who are otherwise unable to access these services. NEXT Distro’s online platform ensures that people can order supplies confidentially, while staff members respond to each enrollment request with health education, referrals and compassion.
Bringing Harm Reduction Online
When the COVID-19 pandemic made it less safe to visit syringe service programs inperson, NEXT Distro rapidly expanded operations to meet the increasing demand for mail-delivered naloxone and harm reduction supplies, especially in high-need areas in Tennessee, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Alabama, and Ohio. NEXT Distro grew its online library of bilingual educational resources to ensure that all people had access to
to information on safer drug use, even from home. Find NEXT Distro’s resources at nextdistro.org/resourcelaunch.
.our. work.
Partnering to Save More Lives “My local community has absolutely no resources for individuals with opioid addictions. The nearest clinic is an hour away, and wait times often exceed 3 hours. I’ve lost two family members to overdoses that weren’t adequately responded to. The stigma against helping addicts is so high that most don’t expect help now.” – NEXT Distro participant
Thirty years of scientific evidence shows that harm reduction helps people battle addiction and avoid infectious diseases (CDC, 2019). Despite the evidence, these services remain underfunded. People in isolated communities across the country often have the highest need for–but the least access to– harm reduction. To respond promptly to the urgent need, NEXT Distro partnered with health departments and syringe service programs to expand distribution. In doing so, NEXT Distro is building a national network to ensure that all people–regardless of race, gender, income, or geography–have access to harm reduction services. For many participants, their interaction with NEXT Distro is the first time they’ve heard of harm reduction.
6 31
states with NEXT Distro full-service and naloxone distribution states with NEXT Distro naloxone-only distribution
counties reached 63% U.S. by NEXT Distro
.our. model.
annual number of requests for NEXT Distro packages
24,492 3,694 13,502
968
2020
2021
full-service
2020
2021
naloxone-only
States with NEXT Distro partnerships
Reaching People Most in Need NEXT Distro mails naloxone-only or full-service packages upon request. Full-service packages contain all the supplies offered at an in-person syringe service program, including sterile syringes, naloxone, sharps containers, alcohol pads, cottons, Dec fentanyl test strips, condoms, and more.
2021
From 2020-2021, NEXT Distro responded to 37,994 naloxone requests. We also shipped 8,453 packages of harm reduction supplies, including 2,104,553 syringes to people in need across the U.S. 509 446
644 600
495
518
436 389
Number of NEXT Distro packages shipped monthly, 2020-2021
293 261
216
Jan 2020 121
156 123
prioritizing resources to people most in need of harm reduction
76%
of requestors reported witnessing an overdose in the past year
55%
of requestors reported that they are unstably housed
33%
of requestors reported that they have hepatitis C infection
In 2021, NEXT Distro’s model was highlighted in five articles in academic journals. Read more about our impact at nextdistro.org/publications.
.our. reach.
“I asked for naloxone and it was sent very quickly. It was a miracle because it came on the same day I found her in the bathroom not breathing. They saved her life and I’m so grateful that there are people who care enough.”
“If not for the naloxone provided from NEXT Distro website, I would not have been able to save the life of a loved one. The experience of seeing a loved one who is not breathing and completely blue is traumatic. Watching life come back into them after the administration of naloxone is like watching a miracle.”
“NEXT Distro has saved my daughter’s life multiple times.” “When I have the supplies sent, I’m able to use clean stuff and have never gotten an infection when I have them.” "My son is struggling with a heroin addiction and I absolutely feel that there is not proper access to clean needles and free Narcan in this area. Young adults and teens are dying here and I am so grateful that you offer this program.“
.our. .impact.
Thank you to everyone who has supported this movement and shared our work over the past two years. It has been an exciting and very challenging time. If you are interested in donating to support our work, please consider directing your donation to one of our many affiliate partners at nextdistro.org/affiliatedonations. For additional ways to be involved, email jamie@nextdistro.org. With love, the NEXT Distro team