Advertise on podcast: The Needle and the Narrative

World, meet Nick, our new intern. We thought it would be interesting to learn about harm reduction from an intern's perspective. Nick has previous experience working for an SSP and is skilled at connecting with people who use drugs. We are lucky to have him back.  For more info on safer smoking visit www.smokeworks.org For more info on harm reduction in South Carolina visit www.challengesinc.org  Thank you CNP! Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-needle-and-the-narrative--1518412/support.

Today is August 31st, International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD). Kris and Marc provide a debrief of Jessica's Walk for Overdose Awareness which was held last Friday, downtown Greenville, SC. This event follows the principles of IOAD and calls for compassion over punishment. This year's event had a special surprise with a proclamation from the City of Greenville.  We'd like to thank all of those who attended the event or have brought awarness and advocacy to their community. Overdose is preventable but we need policies that support people who use drugs.  For more info on overdose awareness day visit. www.overdoseday.com For more info on safer smoking supplies visit. www.smokeworks.org For more info on harm reduction in South Carolina visit www.challengesinc.org  As always, thank you to Counter Narrative Project for their ongoing support with our podcast.  https://thecounternarrative.org/ Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-needle-and-the-narrative--1518412/support.

Today we sit down with Tim Santamour, Executive Director, Florida Harm Reduction Collective, is a person with Living/Lived Experience in Substance Use and has over 33 years of experience in harm reduction. He began his work with ACTUP/Western New York and Prevention Point Buffalo in 1991 and was a co-founder of Buffalo Columbus Hospital’s Syringe Services Program (SSP) in 1993. In 1994 Tim moved to New York City where he volunteered with the Lower East Side Needle Exchange Program and, later, Moving Equipment Queer Harm Reduction Collective. From 2001-2004 Tim served as Executive Director of DanceSafe, a harm reduction organization working in Rave, Circuit Party, and Electronic Dance Music communities. Tim has become recognized as a Harm Reduction OG. Over the years he has been a member of the North American Users Union and a vocal advocate for gay men who inject drugs. In 2018 he retired from NYS Department of Motor Vehicles and moved to Florida where he co-founded Florida Harm Reduction Collective, a statewide network of SSPs, Recovery Community Organizations, and opioid overdose prevention and reversal organizations. Tim received a BA in Literature in English from Hunter College in 2017 and serves on several statewide, regional, and national advisory boards, including People with Lived Experience in Research and University of Miami’s HIV Prevention Community Advisory Board. To learn more about the Florida Harm Reduction Collective visit: https://www.flhrc.org/ To learn more about the Southern Harm Reduction Coalition visit: https://www.flhrc.org/fl-southern-collective/ For safer smoking supplies visit: www.smokeworks.org Harm Reduction in South Carolina: www.challengesinc.org  www.southcarolinahrc.org Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-needle-and-the-narrative--1518412/support.

In this episode of The Needle and the Narrative, we discuss the upcoming 7-OH ban by the DEA and the federal government. Tina Kasson of Challenges Inc SC has done extensive research to help educate the public on these substacnces and is actively offering her presentation around South Carolina. We discuss why regulation offers better health outcomes than restrictions and why we should not repeat history with the overdose crisis.  https://harmreduction.org/about-us/principles-of-harm-reduction/ This podcast is supported by The Counter Narrative Project https://thecounternarrative.org/ To learn more about Harm Reduction and Challenges Inc SC in South Carolina visit www.challengesinc.org  To hear from the DEA themselves on the 7-OH ban visit https://www.dea.gov/press-releases/2026/07/01/dea-temporarily-schedule-7-oh-and-related-substances-protect-public Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-needle-and-the-narrative--1518412/support.

Today Marc and Kris debrief the International Network on Health, Hepatitis, and Substance Use (INHSU) Hepatitis C Intervention Symposia Series – United States in Miami.  Challenges Inc SC staff, Kris and Lysandra were in attendance and we're grateful were able to represent Harm Reduction for South Carolina. They learned about how to scale-up different evidence-based interventions for hepatitis C (HCV) and HIV, such as point-of-care testing, dried blood spot testing, peer support, care navigation and medical record auditing. They also realized how special the Challenges Inc linkage to care network truly is on a national level.  They had a tour at the infamous Miami IDEA Exchange with Dr. Hansel Tookes and even saw some wild chickens downtown Miami.  Learn more about INHSU at:  https://inhsu.org/about-us/hepatitis-c-intervention-symposia-series-united-states/ Learn more about Miami IDEA Exchange at:  https://ideaexchangeflorida.org/about/ Learn more about harm reduction in South Carolina at www.challengesinc.org Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-needle-and-the-narrative--1518412/support.

Today, we sit down with Amber Frazier, CPSS. Amber is a Certified Peer Support Specialist and Harm Reductionist with 5+ years of experience advancing culturally responsive, evidence‑based public health initiatives across South Carolina. She serves as the Outreach Coordinator for The Courage Center, leading harm reduction outreach and community engagement across the region. She also provides statewide education through the South Carolina Center of Excellence in Addiction. A human rights activist and Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) advocate grounded in lived experience with methadone; she brings a strong commitment to equity and community‑driven public health. She is also the state wide naloxone coordinator for SC indigenous communities.  This podcast was made possible by support from the Counter Narrative Project. CNP is a narrative change organization that stands in the tradition of Bayard Rustin, James Baldwin, Essex Hemphill, and other movement leaders, artists, organizers, and visionaries committed to countering narratives and speaking truth to power. Learn more at https://thecounternarrative.org/ Learn more about safer smoking supplies at www.smokeworks.org  Learn more about harm reduction in South Carolina at www.challengesinc.org  Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-needle-and-the-narrative--1518412/support.

Today we sat down with Wynston; a local queer trans man from upstate South Carolina. We dive into his life experience with HIV, harm reduction, and drag to learn more about these communities.  This episode was supported by the Counter Narrative Project.  CNP is a narrative change organization that stands in the tradition of Bayard Rustin, James Baldwin, Essex Hemphill, and other movement leaders, artists, organizers, and visionaries committed to countering narratives and speaking truth to power. https://thecounternarrative.org/ To learn more about Harm Reduction in South Carolina visit. www.challengesinc.org Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-needle-and-the-narrative--1518412/support.

Shae Dalrymple is a harm reduction activist and writer with extensive lived experience and a passion for human rights, especially bodily autonomy. She graduated from Ohio University with a bachelor's of science in journalism in 2012 and spent several years working as a reporter, writer, and editor at newspapers covering Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina. After witnessing too many of her friends die from accidental overdoses, Shae decided to pursue a career in harm reduction. In 2019 she joined Harm Reduction Ohio as Communications Director and Distribution Manager, where she helped establish a free, statewide mail order naloxone program. In 2024, she returned to SC and started working with Challenges Inc to revamp its harm reduction mail service, which has grown steadily since, providing life-saving sterile supplies, test strips, naloxone, and harm reduction resources; free of judgement and barriers. Shae is proud of her Appalachian, Rust Belt roots, but she adores South Carolina (especially the Lowcountry) and is grateful to be of service here. In her free time, she enjoys the beach, concerts, and watching her partner win at dirt track late model races.  Shae is the Community Distribution Specialist who runs the Syringe Service Mail Program (SSMP) for Challenges Inc SC. She works remotely out of the Shae Shed in the Lowcountry of South Carolina and we are thrilled to get her up to Challenges Inc headquarters for this episode.  To learn more about our work visit www.challengesinc.org For Challenges Inc SC merch visit https://challengesinc.org/shop Thank you to The Counter Narrative Project for making this podcast possible. Visit https://thecounternarrative.org/ to learn more about their work.  Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-needle-and-the-narrative--1518412/support.

In today's The Needle and the Narrative epiosode Marc and Kris sit down for a Appalachian gathering debrief to talk about the first annual Central Appalachian Harm Reduction Cohort, organized by Virginia Harm Reduction Coalition. This was a great gathering of grassroots syringe service programs operating in and around Appalachia.  Kris also announces Jessica's Walk for Overdose Awareness: details on social media; and talks about bears.  To learn more about harm reduction in South Carolina visit www.challengesinc.org  Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-needle-and-the-narrative--1518412/support.

In this episode of the Needle and the Narrative we sit down with Challenges Inc SC staff, Tina Kasson. Tina is a Harm Reduction Specialist who is passionate about changing the conversation around drug use. She draws on her educational background in social work and lived experience to replace judgment with genuine human connection. Tina’s work is rooted in the belief that safety and bodily autonomy are basic human rights. Having experienced stigma from the very systems meant to offer support, she knows firsthand that the war on drugs is often fought through isolation and shame. Tina is dedicated to breaking down these barriers by embracing radical acceptance in the face of punitive measures. She is all about creating a safe environment where people can reclaim their inherent value and make informed decisions about their health.  This podcast is supported by the Counter Narrative Project. https://thecounternarrative.org/ NEW Challenges Inc SC MERCH! https://www.bonfire.com/store/challenges-inc-sc/ For safer smoking supplies visit www.smokeworks.org To learn more about harm reduction in South Carolina visit www.challengesinc.org Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-needle-and-the-narrative--1518412/support.

On this episode of The Needle and The Narrative, Marc and Raymond sit down with Challenges Inc SC program manager Kris Stepp. Kris has been around the Challenges Inc ethos for several years and has helped it grow to what it is today. We are grateful to have him back on the team and providing drug user health in South Carollina.  Visit www.challengesinc.org to learn more about harm reduction in South Carolina.  Visit www.smokeworks.org for safer smoking supplies.  Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-needle-and-the-narrative--1518412/support.

On this episode, we highight Challenges Inc SC staff Lysandra Ryan. Lysandra has a wealth of lived experince and Harm Reduction work. We sit down to learn more about her as a person and what keeps her showing up every day. To learn more about harm reduction work in South Carolina visit www.challengesinc.org  To learn more about the MAP program for safer smoking supplies visit www.smokeworks.org Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-needle-and-the-narrative--1518412/support.

This is a segment from an old converstation with local clinic physician Dr. Quang Pham in 2023. Dr. Pham was willing to create a fast track for clients coming from our SSP to his clinic for primary care, addiction medicine, and HCV treatment and did so outside of the usual systemic confines that regulate medicine and community partnerships. Dr. Pham has since moved away from the area but his presence here is missed. In this sit down we discuss MAT/ MOUD, what makes treatment low barrier, and other restrictive practices that often put provider liability over patient well-being.  Learn more about the harm reduction work Challenges Inc SC is doing in South Carolina at www.challengesinc.org.  Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-needle-and-the-narrative--1518412/support.

In this episode Raymond interviews the founder and director of Challenges Inc SC, Marc Burrows. We cover the history of Challenges Inc, the reasons for starting the first syringe service program in South Carolina and learn about parts of the journey since then.  Special thanks to Counter Narrative Project for their support to lift up this work.  https://thecounternarrative.org/ To learn more about harm reduction in South Carolina and to support Challenges Inc, visit:  www.challengesinc.org  https://www.facebook.com/ChallengesIncorporated/# https://www.instagram.com/challenges_inc Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-needle-and-the-narrative--1518412/support.

Episode 4 of the four part series funded by the Counter Narrative Project. Carrying the story forward; lived experience, leadership, and harm reduction. Come along as we discuss idenity, substance use, HIV, sex work, housing, and fighting healthcare stigma.  Raymond Velazquez-Turner is a public health leader and harm reduction advocate working with the Western North Carolina AIDS Project and Challenges Inc SC. Raymond's work centers on outreach, HIV testing, overdose prevention, and client centered harm reduction strategies that address HIV transmission, stigma, and structural barriers faced by underserved communities.  This series was supported by the Counter Narrative Project out of Atlanta, Georgia. Learn more about CNP by visiting https://thecounternarrative.org/ This podcast is hosted by Challenges Inc SC, a syringe services program in South Carolina. Visit https://challengesinc.org/ to learn more about our work.  Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-needle-and-the-narrative--1518412/support.