About The Collaborative

Program Overview

The Racial Equity Collaborative for Drug User Health (The Collaborative) is a pilot program developed by NASTAD. The program intends to create a supportive space for fifteen cross-career stage and cross-sector Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color (BIPOC)* navigating the landscape of governmental, nonprofit, research, and philanthropic fields that support the health of people who use drugs. This cohort is supported by Reframe Health and Justice and Healing Equity United and the CDC through the National Harm Reduction TA Center. 

The Collaborative aims to build the capacity of individual participants as well as the network of practitioners  to effectively navigate predominantly white fields. A key goal of The Collaborative is to cultivate a sense of community among members as they encounter similar challenges in their respective contexts around the country. Providing a brave space for the collaborative members promotes an understanding of shared experience, connections, and mutual support for their varied and often challenging experiences.

The Collaborative comprises three elements: 10 sessions of programming to build skills and knowledge base, one-on-one mentorship with BIPOC harm reduction leaders to expand networks, and a grant to support a harm reduction project or professional development efforts.