2026-11012

The Executive Director of a non-profit harm reduction organization supports the proposed revision of the National Survey of Syringe Services Programs but requests specific improvements. They advocate for the inclusion of a broader range of services (like drug checking and safer smoking supplies), the protection of program confidentiality, and the inclusion of non-traditional programs in the survey.

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.

The commenter, representing a community-based nonprofit, supports the proposed revision of the National Survey of Syringe Services Programs but argues that it must be expanded to include a broader range of evidence-based harm reduction services and specific community barriers. They emphasize that the survey should capture the full scope of wraparound services provided by SSPs and be designed with input from those who operate and use these programs.

Andrew Knox, a harm reduction program manager with the New Mexico Department of Health, supports the proposed revision of the National Survey of Syringe Services Programs. He recommends making the survey more inclusive of diverse services, prioritizing participant confidentiality, and ensuring the voices of people with lived experience are included in the planning and leadership.

The commenter, who has lived experience with drug use and syringe services programs (SSPs), opposes the proposed revision of the National Survey of Syringe Services Programs due to privacy and surveillance concerns. They argue that the data collected could be weaponized against participants and programs, and they call for the CDC to prioritize privacy protections, minimize data collection, and involve people with lived experience in the survey's design.

A family nurse practitioner with over 20 years of experience in overdose prevention and harm reduction supports the proposed revision of the National Survey of Syringe Services Programs but argues it needs more specificity. The commenter recommends that the CDC better distinguish between different types of programs, separate naloxone metrics, differentiate between direct services and referrals, and include more comprehensive harm reduction practices like drug checking and peer support.

The commenter, who identifies as a Person Who Uses Drugs with experience in harm reduction, supports the proposed revision of the National Survey of Syringe Services Programs but argues for more specific and comprehensive data collection. They request that the CDC distinguish between different types of programs, measure a wider range of modern harm reduction services, and track the actual power held by people with lived experience in program governance.

A volunteer at a small syringe exchange program opposes the proposed revisions to the National Survey of Syringe Exchanges. The commenter expresses concerns regarding the survey's length, the lack of differentiation between types of programs, and the potential for breaches of confidentiality and law enforcement interference.

Todd, a volunteer in harm reduction services and a personal experience with drug use, supports the proposed revision of the National Survey of Syringe Services Programs but urges the CDC to improve the survey's methodology. He suggests defining onsite services more clearly to distinguish them from outreach and emphasizes the need to protect program confidentiality from law enforcement.

The commenter, a harm reduction practitioner with over 25 years of experience, supports the proposed revision of the National Survey of Syringe Services Programs but argues for specific improvements. They advocate for better distinction between service delivery models, stronger privacy protections for programs, a more accurate definition of "community opposition," and a broader measurement of the full range of harm reduction services provided.