Louisville Street Samaritans training

6 hour for people who share two overlapping community centers in Louisville, who are very likely to reverse fentanyl overdose and see xylazine wounds, and who avoid hospitals.

Who

  • 5-40 people who share two overlapping community centers in Louisville
    • very likely to reverse fentanyl overdose and see xylazine wounds
    • avoid hospitals; poss low literacy/homeless/criminalized; likely currently/formerly use white powder drugs
    • lived experience of isolation, racism, primary/secondary trauma
    • already peer health promoters
    • possibly already involved in anti-criminalization legislative advocacy or grassroots organizing
    • may attend morning, afternoon, or both
    • some may proctor, organize, or lead facilitated discussions and practical education in small groups
  • harm reduction service/advocacy administrative volunteers/contractors/staff
  • public health researcher(s); 3rd-year med student
  • lead trainers: Grace and (Ben, Martine, Ludrenia, or someone else)
    • Grace, Ben, Martine: street medics become RNs who currently work in emergency medicine and behavioral health
    • Grace, Ben, Martine: have designed and taught similar trainings to similar populations in the past
    • Ludrenia: retired nurse, trainer of nurses and aides, curriculum developer
    • Grace: extensive lived experience of addiction, homelessness, incarceration
    • Grace and Ben are white, Martine and Ludrenia are black
    • trainers commit to liberation ethics, including the she safe, we safe pledge

Where/when

  • Brook St. drop-in center, Louisville
  • 5-6 hours on one day (2-3 hours, 90 min-2 hour break, 2-3 hours)
  • between January and March 2025

Why

This training tests the following assumptions:

  • the training's hosts gather a population for survival pending revolution
  • members of the gathered population chosen or self-chosen for the training alter the population's survival with facts on the ground
  • these members are possibly harmed by helping -- the training can reduce
  • these members can better prevent harm -- the training can help

What for

Knowledge

  • get help: referral/further care, partners in care (incl. alternative to 911 mental health crisis line, peer support warmline)
  • avoid injury: have a buddy, ground, do something, check in/shake it off, commemorate
  • confidentiality, trust, but not isolation

Attitudes

  • solidarity, class/black consciousness
  • humility, good humor, unconditional positive regard
  • attention to detail, curiosity
  • lazy medic code

Skills

  • organized assessment before and after intervention: AMPLE, abbreviated STOP+PAS, maybe Fisher & Ahern empowerment model of recovery
  • get help: organize whoever is present
  • advanced opioid overdose response (incl. O2 admin)
  • manage xylazine wounds
  • buddy care communication: PEARL buddy check-in, HALTS and "What did you do to take care of yourself today?"/"What do you need to do?"

What

Achievement-phrased learning objectives, in order of agenda. Each will link to a learning activity.

By the end of the morning 2-3 hour class, participants will have...

By the end of the afternoon 2-3 hour class, participants will have...

See learning activities from 10/2020 20-hour training for something to adapt.

There will be a "But why?" story analysis at some point in the day.

With what

  • Chart paper, markers, masking tape, walls
  • (maybe) webpage, smartphones, and cell or wifi service
  • wound care supplies (be specific)
  • overdose response supplies (be specific)
  • (maybe) handouts on paper

Evaluation of relevant past trainings

CC BY-SA. Written by Grace of Chicago Action Medical, reviewed by Chris.