The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) contracted with the Drug User Health team at NASTAD to create performance standards for the formation and implementation of syringe service providers (SSPs) across the country. NASTAD reached out to Facente Consulting to create a document that would provide guidance and best practices for public health departments, community-based organizations, and community stakeholders/service providers around the country as they develop and expand SSPs in their area.
Facente Consulting worked closely with NASTAD to conduct a thorough review of the literature published about SSP programs, their effectiveness for a variety of potential outcomes, and programmatic best practices from various service delivery models. We then interviewed 14 key stakeholders throughout the country about their experiences and perspectives about SSP best practices. Facente Consulting then planned and facilitated a one-day summit in Washington, DC that brought together experts in the field to discuss and collaborate on a comprehensive set of SSP performance standards. This work culminated in the development of an evaluation tool to guide SSPs in implementing their programs, improving program development and strategies for political advocacy, and identifying current and emerging resource and support needs. The performance standards document and evaluation tool was repackaged by CDC and released in 2020 as Syringe Services Programs: A Technical Package of Effective Strategies and Approaches for Planning, Design, and Implementation.