Comment from Mahmoud, Jess
Jess MahmoudOpposeAdvocacy
Summary: The commenter, a coordinator for a mobile harm reduction unit and mutual aid collective, opposes the proposed survey format because it provides insufficient time for data collection and lacks accessibility. They advocate for a digital and mail-in option to ensure a broader range of voices can participate.
To whom it may concern,
I am submitting comments regarding CDC’s proposed revision of the National Survey of Syringe Services Programs, Docket No. CDC-2026-0859. I'm a coordinator of a mobile harm reduction unit in New Orleans, LA and involved in a mutual aid collective that distributes supplies. Thirty five minutes is not enough time for volunteer run collectives to be clear about the information regarding budget, participant encounters, historical context, and other implicable data. It will also miss any voices who do not have the ability to participate due to work or access to technology. The Center for Disease Control needs to think about the people who use these services and their supplies and make sure their voices are heard. This survey format should include an option to be completed digitally and mailed form so folks can participate and have time to get the data they are looking for. Harm reduction is about choices and everyone's voice need to be heard.