AIDS Support Group director urges NaloxBox rollout and expanded Narcan outreach in Dennis

Eliza Morrison, director of harm reduction services at the AIDS Support Group of Cape Cod, told an informal SUDAAC meeting that her agency is expanding Narcan distribution, syringe services and on-the-ground outreach in Dennis and is seeking local support to install NaloxBox lock boxes and identify regular parking for its mobile unit.

Morrison said the agency operates two mobile units, provides free syringe services and testing (including fentanyl and xylazine strips), conducts post-overdose outreach and links people who test reactive to community care. "I am the director of harm reduction services at the aid support group of Cape Cod, and we, we work with people kind of in all stages of substance use," she said during the meeting. She described partnerships with local groups (including Duffy, 1st Steps Together and Hopeful Outreach) and with a district attorney's team to create updated guidance for first responders.

SUDAAC members and local participants discussed immediate needs: permission or host sites for the van to park on a regular schedule (Eliza said the team runs outreach in Dennis on Wednesdays) and where to place NaloxBox cabinets if the board of health or select board approves locations. Morrison said her initial proposal would place NaloxBoxes at town hall and the library and that the group would start small and expand as needed.

The agency offered local evidence to support the approach. Morrison said similar efforts in neighboring towns appear to be reducing harm: after a year of NaloxBox availability in Falmouth, "the department of public health recognized that Falmouth had a marked decrease in overdose," she said, noting that increased community access to Narcan helped unburden emergency response. She also provided program counts: "Since December, we've distributed 222 doses of Narcan in the community," and the program is "currently working with 36 unique participants on a regular basis."

Committee members raised logistics and next steps. Participants suggested candidate outreach sites (Patriot Square, the area near Dunkin'/Burger King/Marshalls, bus stops and food pantries); several speakers emphasized the need to avoid disrupting businesses and to obtain permission for private-property parking. Tom Slater and others recommended large but accessible parking areas behind retail that could serve as recurring outreach locations.

Morrison asked SUDAAC to consider a future letter of endorsement to the Chamber of Commerce to encourage businesses to host Narcan or accept training; several attendees said such outreach should follow after NaloxBox installation so the town already has cabinets in place. The group agreed that Morrison should continue coordinating with the town contact (Kristen) to finalize locations, then prepare a funding request through SUDAAC. On next steps, Morrison said she would work with her agency's CPO to develop a proposal and submit it to SUDAAC for consideration.

The meeting included some technical/Zoom interruptions and was explicitly informal, so no formal votes were taken. Attendees agreed to follow up on locating a regular parking spot for the mobile unit, clarifying prior local allocations, and coordinating any required board-of-health or select-board approvals before wider Chamber outreach.

Closing notes: Morrison offered to share compiled survey results from on-site participant questionnaires once available; SUDAAC members said they would help coordinate outreach to town officials. The informal session ended with reminders about an upcoming community ride and overdose-awareness activities.