SSANA

SSANA - What is it?

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SSANA - The Syringe Service Alliance of the Nashua Area - is a collection of community partners that have come together to support the Greater Nashua Region. Our diverse team is composed of outreach workers, volunteers, personnel from a variety of public health and medical settings, health educators, and people with lived experience of substance use disorders and recovery.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What Is Harm Reduction?

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Harm reduction is a practical, evidence-based approach aimed at minimizing the negative consequences associated with substance use.

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"Harm reduction incorporates a spectrum of strategies from safer use, to managed use, to abstinence, to better meet drug users “where they’re at” and address conditions of use along with the use itself. Because harm reduction demands that interventions and policies designed to serve drug users reflect specific individual and community needs, there is no universal definition of or formula for implementing harm reduction." – NH Harm Reduction Coalition

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Syringe Services Program (SSP) – Serving the Greater Nashua Region

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Our Syringe Services Program (SSP) is a community-based public health initiative that provides comprehensive harm reduction services. These services support the health and safety of individuals and the broader community by reducing the risks associated with injection drug use.

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Key Benefits of Syringe Services Programs:

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SSPs Are Proven to Reduce:

• New HIV and Viral Hepatitis Infections
  By providing sterile syringes and safe injection equipment, SSPs help prevent the transmission of bloodborne infections.

• Substance Use Disorder
  People who use SSPs are 5 times more likely to enter treatment for substance use disorder and are more likely to reduce or stop injecting.

• Needlestick Injuries
  SSPs offer safe disposal options, lowering the risk of needlestick injuries for first responders and the public.

• Overdose Deaths
  SSPs provide overdose prevention education and training in the use of Naloxone, a life-saving medication that reverses opioid overdoses.

 

SSPs and Community Safety

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• SSPs do not increase crime in the neighborhoods where they operate.

• They improve public health outcomes while building trust between service providers and vulnerable populations.

• By preventing costly infections and health complications, SSPs help reduce long-term healthcare expenses.

 

For example:​

• The lifetime cost of treating one person with HIV exceeds $400,000.

• Early Hepatitis C testing and treatment could save an estimated 320,000 lives.

SSANA Services and Materials Provided

Our program offers a wide range of services and supplies, including:

• Sterile needles, syringes, and injection equipment

• Safe disposal containers for used items

• HIV and Hepatitis C testing with connections to care

• Overdose prevention education and Naloxone training 

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Referrals to:

• Substance use disorder treatment, including medication-assisted treatment

• Medical, mental health, and social services

• Prevention tools: condoms, vaccinations, and counseling for HIV, STDs, and Hepatitis

 

More Than Services – We’re Here for the Community

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At the heart of our work is compassion and connection. Our team aims to be a friendly, trusted presence in the community. We work to build relationships and remind everyone we meet that: You matter. We care about your health and your future.​​

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NHHRC ( New Hampshire Harm Reduction Coalition)also is a great resource. 

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