C-FLASH

General Information

Fullname: Community Field Lab for Stimulant Harm Reduction in Southeast Asia

Donor(s): ViiV Healthcare Positive Action

Period: 2022 - 2023

Location: Hanoi

Implementer: Harm Reduction and Addiction Treatment Program

In 2022, SCDI started the model CFLASH - Community Field Lab for Stimulant Harm Reduction in Southeast Asia Region which was built upon the successful pilot in 2019 in Hanoi. CFLASH aims to strengthen the technical expertise and capacity in delivering stimulant harm reduction interventions for SCDI staff, our CBO partners and harm reduction practitioners in the region through three arms:

Build and reinforce the capacity of trainers, technical officers and community mentors in providing community-based stimulant harm reduction interventions;
Implement a stimulant harm reduction programme with state of art implementation, which serves as a “field lab” for partners to get exposure and practical experiences;
Facilitate learning on stimulant harm reduction for partners in Vietnam and in the region.

The end-line evaluation of the project showed that there were a large proportion of clients reported adopting healthier and safer behaviors, significantly improving their health. The percentage of clients using stimulants at high risk has reduced from 87,9% before interventions to 61,8% after interventions. The percentage of clients screened positive with mental health quick screening tool also decreased from 70,8% to 26,3% before and after interventions. The results of the model and new intervention packages have been disseminated in a regional meeting and training with 9 harm reduction organizations in the region - members of the Southeast Asia Harm Reduction Association (AHRA). The model was also shared with the Vietnam Agency for AIDS Control - Vietnam Ministry of Health (VAAC), Medical universities, social enterprises, and community-based organizations in Vietnam.

2023 Key results

In 2023, CFLASH developed and disseminated two new community-based interventions packages - Mental health and Chemsex, alongside its existing HIV prevention and harm reduction program. CBOs have used such interventions while reaching and providing services for people over 25 years old who use stimulants, ie,. the project’s target clients. That year, 800 clients received at least one service each; 4 new HIV cases were connected to treatment, 47 clients were supported in adhering to ART, 376 people received in-depth counselling for stimulant harm reduction, 254 people received community-based mental health counselling, among them, 29 were referred to psychiatrists for diagnosis and treatment.