As part of its comprehensive harm reduction strategy, the County of San Diego’s Public Health Services previously led a county-wide community readiness assessment to understand opportunities for and challenges to implementing evidence-based harm reduction services. This previous community readiness assessment informed the launch of the county’s initial Harm Reduction Services Program. In 2025, the County of San Diego sought to implement another assessment for harm reduction services, with an emphasis on understanding community readiness in Southeast San Diego.
Facente Consulting will lead the new community readiness assessment, conducting interviews and focus groups with key stakeholders in southeast San Diego, including County of San Diego staff, members of advisory bodies, and people who use drugs, among others. Facente Consulting will also conduct a public opinion poll with the broader community to understand knowledge about, support for, and opposition to harm reduction services in southeast San Diego. We will analyze all community readiness assessment data and summarize findings, including recommendations for future community engagement work, in a comprehensive final report.