Substance Use Disorder Help – Project LEAD

Linkages
Linkages
Education
Education
Data

About Project LEAD

LEADing Change on the Peninsula, or Project LEAD, was established in January 2023 and is the substance use disorder and opioid response program by the Hampton & Peninsula Health Districts (HPHD). Project LEAD's mission is to reduce drug overdoses and overdose deaths, support People Who Use Drugs (PWUDs) through supportive services, and provide greater connectivity and linkages across all substance use and social service providers on the Greater Peninsula.  Project LEAD's strategies include Linkages, Education, Awareness, and Data. Learn more about our strategies below:

Linkages

We connect individuals to services through a referral platform called Unite Us, which enables end-to-end holistic social services and continuity of care for a client. In addition to referrals to mental and behavioral health services, we can also connect individuals to social needs services, such as food, housing assistance, transportation, workforce development, and more. We want to provide support for the unique needs of each individual experiencing Substance Use Disorder, or otherwise. Individuals can request assistance using our Assistance Request Form.

You can also check out our various community partners by visiting our Project LEAD's Community Partners page!

Education

We provide REVIVE! (Opioid overdose recognition and response using Narcan), Trauma Informed Care (TIC), Health Equity in Response to Drug Overdose, and Stigma Reduction training to all community and healthcare partners, emergency responders, and health department staff, with a goal to reduce stigma and health disparities in opioid-related treatment. If you are interested in receiving one of the above trainings, please contact us at ProjectLead@vdh.virginia.gov. 

If you would like to learn more about improving health equity in your organization, please check out Project LEAD's Health Equity Resources.

Awareness

We frequently conduct community outreach via town halls, trainings, and events where we provide health education and free resources. We believe one of the best ways to reduce stigma around substance use and overdoses is to be in the community providing education. To request us at an event, please fill out our Outreach Request Form. 

Data

Data and health equity are vital in all aspects of LEAD. Shared data metrics will be used to understand trends and areas in need of most assistance. Each metric uses evidence-based planning principles and will incorporate data-driven feedback throughout implementation. We also have data sharing agreements with community partners to respond in real-time to overdose trends in the local community. We share a report annually which compiles relevant substance use and justice-involved data from different partner organizations.

 

REVIVE! Training and Naloxone/Narcan Distribution

REVIVE! is the Opioid Overdose and Naloxone Education (OONE) program for the Commonwealth of Virginia. REVIVE! provides training on how to recognize and respond to an opioid overdose emergency using naloxone.

We provide free REVIVE! training and Narcan distribution to eligible organizations. We request at least 10 attendees per/class.

If interested, please call: (757) 594-7320 or email ProjectLEAD@vdh.virginia.gov.

We are out and about in the community! 

Request us at your next event:

Contact Us!

If you are struggling with addiction, a person who uses drugs, need linkages to services, or want to talk to a peer, please reach out to us using our Project LEAD Contact Form. 

If you need a referral to resources, such as food/housing, education/employment, behavioral and mental health treatment, and more, visit our Request Assistance page!

If you are in need of immediate assistance, contact in-network providers.

Comprehensive Harm Reduction Services

Our Comprehensive Harm Reduction Program is open and available to you as a resource!

We accept walk-ins at the Peninsula Health Center (836-A J Clyde Morris Blvd., Newport News, VA 23601) on Mondays and Thursdays from 9am-3pm.

We accept appointments only at the Hampton Health Center (3130 Victoria Blvd., Hampton, VA 23661).

We also take clients during other times, by appointment. If interested in scheduling an appointment, please call (757) 594-7320.

Photo of our Harm Reduction staff with the Hampton-Newport News Community Services Board staff in front of the new MAT Mobile Unit.

Recovery Services

Recovery services are available at the Peninsula Health Center in partnership with the Hampton-Newport News Community Services Board (HNNCSB).

Every Monday from 9am-2pm, the H-NNCSB's Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) mobile unit is now available to clients and community members in the Peninsula Health Center (836-A J Clyde Morris Blvd., Newport News, VA 23601) back parking lot.

This mobile unit provides convenient access to recovery services for individuals seeking help with opioid use or other substance use disorders. Clients can receive on-site consultation with a Peer Recovery Specialist and Nurse Practitioner, and prescriptions for Suboxone are available for both new and existing clients.

Clients who receive services with the MAT mobile unit will also be referred to HPHD as a service provider (e.g. Clinic, Comprehensive Harm Reduction, WIC, Vital Records, etc.), improving the overall accessibility of community resources.

The MAT Mobile Unit is a safe, professional, and controlled service provided by our trusted community partner, the HNNCSB. 

Relevant Data

Helpful Videos

“Leading Change on the Peninsula”

“Project Lead Helps Battle Rising Overdoses in Virginia