STREETCHECK is an innovative community-partnered project at Brandeis University’s Opioid Policy Research Collaborative (OPRC) to develop and standardize sample collection and reporting for community drug checking programs. The vision of STREETCHECK streamlines community illicit drug sample collection through the use of a mobile based application, speeds analysis of the samples, and makes it easier to communicate results back.
Community drug checking programs involving spectrometers and other portable testing technologies are expanding across the world as an approach to overdose prevention and as a response to an unpredictable illicit drug supply. STREETCHECK organizes the sample collection process and provides actionable results to the community. The development of our mobile-based application centers the needs of communities through an iterative design process with diverse harm reduction organizations throughout Massachusetts and leading community drug checking programs across the US. Our work intends to center the needs of people who use drugs and the organizations that support them, to empower communities to respond to the changing illicit drug supply in real time through customizable tools.
STREETCHECK organizes the process for collecting information to carry out drug checking using test strips or more complex devices. It speeds analysis, provides easy to understand results, and gives just-in-time reminders of key messages and information. Community partners have the ability to tailor the app to the type of drug checking services they offer, including managing the information and the materials that are provided to users and seeing when results collection sharing occurs.
STREETCHECK is funded by a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Bureau of Substance Addiction Services.