Mississippi Harm Reduction Initiative

Opioids don’t discriminate. Anyone can be affected.

People of all ages and backgrounds can be impacted by opioid use and overdose. Knowing what to look for and how to respond can save a life.

Visit StandUpMS.org to learn about overdose response, find naloxone, and get training or support options near you.

We were honored to be at the table to break bread & build hope in Pearl River County!

We were honored to come to the table with Mississippi Harm Reduction Initiative to break bread & build hope in Pearl River County! Hosted at Jacob's Well Recovery Center, the event focused on providing essential education on overdose prevention and Narcan training.

Provisional data indicates there were about 70,000 drug overdose deaths in the United States during 2025. This is a reason why we must encourage these critical conversations and continue breaking the stigma.

A new analysis of the FY27 President’s Budget Request highlights what may be at stake for substance use disorder treatment, prevention, recovery supports, surveillance, and community‑based overdose response. Released by the Global Health Advocacy Incubator’s Overdose Prevention Initiative, the resource includes an appropriations crosswalk to help advocates quickly see potential funding cuts, consolidations, and areas where Congress still has decision‑making power—and offers tools to support effective federal advocacy.
Full Analysis: https://www.advocacyincubator.org/news/2026-05-20-executive-summary-the-fy-2027-presidents-budget-request-whats-at-stake-for-federal-substance-use-disorder-and-overdose-prevention-funding

Mississippi’s Opioid Settlement Fund Advisory Council has selected the Denver-based health consulting firm Steadman Group to advise the committee’s grant application process for the upcoming cycle. https://ow.ly/tCPG50ZcoNp

A massive step for OUD recovery!
The DEA finalized the sunset of the X-waiver, making medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) treatment mainstream and reducing hurdles to access.
READ MORE: https://bhbusiness.com/2026/06/09/dea-formalizes-end-to-x-waiver-expands-window-to-administer-moud-injectables/

HHS wants comments on which addiction programs and policies work best. If we aren’t at the table, we’re on the menu. Speak up! Submit: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/06/10/2026-11602/hhs-request-for-comment-on-chronic-disease-of-addiction

What do you think about ROSC??!!

I recently read an article about Recovery-Oriented Systems of Care (ROSC), and it put into words something many of us have been working toward in Mississippi for years.

The future of recovery isn’t treatment alone. It isn’t harm reduction alone. It isn’t housing, peer support, law enforcement, faith communities, or policy alone.

It’s all of us working together.

When I think about Recovery Day at the Capitol, PHAST, LEAD, Save A Life Day, recovery housing, peer support, naloxone distribution, and faith-based overdose prevention efforts across our state, I see the foundation of something bigger being built.

For too long, systems have focused on responding to crisis. The future is creating systems that help people build stable, meaningful lives long after the crisis has passed.

A person who receives naloxone today may become a peer support specialist tomorrow.

A person connected to resources through outreach today may become a community leader tomorrow.

A person given a second chance today may help save someone else’s life in the future.

Recovery is not a single program. Harm reduction is not a single strategy. They are both part of a larger continuum of care that values every human life and recognizes that lasting recovery happens through connection, community, purpose, and hope.

Mississippi still has work to do, but I believe we’re moving in the right direction. The conversations are happening. The partnerships are growing. More people are coming to the table. And that gives me hope.

I would encourage community health centers, treatment providers, recovery residences, faith communities, law enforcement partners, policymakers, peer support specialists, and anyone who cares about the future of our state to read this article with an open mind. We need more conversations. More collaboration. More innovation. More willingness to look at what is working and build upon it.

Because Mississippi needs more.

More pathways to recovery.
More support for families.
More opportunities for people to rebuild their lives.
More seats at the table.

And most importantly, more people willing to work together for the common good.

You can find the article here:
https://recovery.com/resources/recovery-policy/

Another incredible Overdose Prevention Training is in the books, this time in Pearl River County!

Today we gathered at Jacob's Well Recovery Center in Poplarville, Mississippi, for much needed conversation, connection, education, and fellowship. While we provided overdose prevention education and Narcan training, what stood out most were the relationships that were built and the meaningful discussions that took place.

One of the questions we often ask during these trainings is:

“If Jesus visited your county today, where do you think He would go first?”

The answers are powerful. They challenge us to think differently about compassion, service, stigma, and what it truly means to love our neighbors.

These gatherings are about so much more than Narcan. They are about meeting people where they are, building bridges between faith communities and public health, and creating spaces where difficult conversations can happen with grace, understanding, and hope.

We are incredibly grateful to everyone who joined us at Jacob’s Well and shared in this experience. Thank you for welcoming us and for being part of a growing movement to bring hope, healing, and life-saving education into rural Mississippi.

Follow along as we continue traveling across the state. We may be coming to a rural community near you soon, and we would love to have you join us at the table!

Next stop: Waveland, Mississippi!
Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/come-to-the-table-breaking-bread-building-hope-tickets-1989920381428

National Council for Mental Wellbeing

The Mississippi Harm Reduction Initiative is proud to be participating in Operation Understanding 2026, a national movement focused on reducing stigma, sharing recovery stories, and helping communities better understand substance use, mental health, and recovery.

At MHRI, we see every day that recovery is real. We witness lives saved through naloxone, people finding hope, and communities coming together to support one another. Recovery deserves to be seen, understood, and celebrated.

We’re excited to stand alongside advocates across the country to help create a future rooted in compassion, education, and connection.

Learn more or join the movement: https://www.recovery2026.org



Check out Operation Understanding. I just joined. https://www.recovery2026.org/get_involved?recruiter_id=30520

Join the Movement Be part of shaping what comes next for the modern recovery movement.