| Course | HEP 251 Preventing HIV and Substance Misuse |
|---|---|
| Module | Module 5 |
| Paper type | Program rationale |
| Length | About 347 words, 4 pages |
| Format | APA 7 student paper |
| School | Arizona State University |
| Program | BS in Health Education and Health Promotion |
| Updated | October 2026 |
Free sample paper for HEP 251 Module 5
Meeting People Where They Are: A Rationale for a West Phoenix Harm Reduction Van
Student Name
BS in Health Education and Health Promotion, Arizona State University
HEP 251: Preventing HIV and Substance Misuse
Instructor Name
Month Day, Year
Meeting People Where They Are: A Rationale for a West Phoenix Harm Reduction Van
The Need
Drug overdoses killed 105,007 people in the United States in 2023, an age-adjusted rate of 31.3 per 100,000, and fentanyl-type synthetic opioids drove most of them (Garnett & Miniño, 2024). Injection drug use also spreads HIV and hepatitis C. In west Phoenix, people who use drugs often live far from fixed-site services and lack transportation, so the help that exists does not reach them.
The Program
Harm Reduction on Wheels (illustrative) is a van staffed by a health educator, a peer outreach worker with lived experience and a part-time nurse. It would stop at four locations on a fixed weekly schedule, near shelters, parks and motels. Services include naloxone with training, fentanyl test strips, sterile syringes and safe disposal, rapid HIV and hepatitis C testing and same-day referral to clinics that offer medications for opioid use disorder.
Why It Will Work
Each service has evidence behind it. Walley and colleagues tracked Massachusetts towns over time and found opioid overdose deaths ran 27% lower where bystander training reached moderate numbers of residents and 46% lower where it reached many, relative to towns without the program (Walley et al., 2013). Opioid substitution therapy was associated with a 50% lower risk of acquiring hepatitis C among people who inject drugs (Platt et al., 2017), which is why linking clients to treatment is part of the model. A mobile, peer-staffed approach builds trust with people who avoid traditional services, meeting them where they are without requiring abstinence first.
| Service | Harm it reduces |
|---|---|
| Naloxone and training | Overdose deaths |
| Fentanyl test strips | Unintended fentanyl exposure |
| Sterile syringes and disposal | HIV and hepatitis C transmission; discarded needles |
| HIV and hepatitis C testing | Undiagnosed infection |
| Links to medication treatment | Overdose and infection risk over time |
Goals and Measures
Year-one targets are to distribute 3,000 naloxone kits, test 600 people for HIV and hepatitis C and connect 150 people to medication treatment. It will track kits distributed, reported overdose reversals, tests performed, positive results linked to care and treatment starts.
References
Garnett, M. F., & Miniño, A. M. (2024). Drug overdose deaths in the United States, 2003-2023 (NCHS Data Brief No. 522). National Center for Health Statistics. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db522.htm
Platt, L., Minozzi, S., Reed, J., Vickerman, P., Hagan, H., French, C., Jordan, A., Degenhardt, L., Hope, V., Hutchinson, S., Maher, L., Palmateer, N., Taylor, A., Bruneau, J., & Hickman, M. (2017). Needle syringe programmes and opioid substitution therapy for preventing hepatitis C transmission in people who inject drugs. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2017(9), CD012021. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD012021.pub2
Walley, A. Y., Xuan, Z., Hackman, H. H., Quinn, E., Doe-Simkins, M., Sorensen-Alawad, A., Ruiz, S., & Ozonoff, A. (2013). Opioid overdose rates and implementation of overdose education and nasal naloxone distribution in Massachusetts: Interrupted time series analysis. BMJ, 346, f174. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.f174
Reading the HEP 251 Module 5 assignment instructions
The Harm Reduction Program Rationale is the Module 5 written assignment in HEP 251, completed in the same module as the harm reduction discussion. Propose a new harm reduction program for the Phoenix, Arizona community and write a one-page rationale for it. A strong rationale explains the problem the program addresses, who it serves, what it would offer and why those services are likely to reduce harm, using credible evidence. Because the limit is one page, choose the most important facts and keep the description of the program concrete. Check the Canvas instructions and rubric for format details, and cite sources in APA style. Write for a funder or community board deciding whether to support the program.
How the HEP 251 Module 5 example is put together
The sample fits a full rationale on one page by using four short sections: need, program, evidence and goals. The need section uses current national overdose data and one local access barrier. The program section names the staff, schedule and services specifically. The evidence section summarizes two studies with exact figures and ties each service to a harm in a compact table. Measurable first-year goals close the page. The program name is illustrative, and margin notes explain how each section earns its space. The table lets a reviewer see in seconds how each service maps to a specific harm. Every figure is attributed, and the program's staffing includes a peer worker, reflecting harm reduction's emphasis on lived experience.
Where the marks sit in the HEP 251 Module 5 rubric
Graders look for a clearly described program suited to the Phoenix community, a need supported by credible data, services grounded in harm reduction principles and evidence and a concise one-page format. Rationales lose points when they describe harm reduction in general without proposing a specific program, when evidence is missing or outdated, when the program does not fit the stated need or when the page limit is exceeded. Clear goals and measures, even simple ones, show that the student understands how programs are evaluated. Using respectful, person-first language, such as "people who use drugs," also reflects the harm reduction principles the course teaches. Programs that include peers or partner with existing clinics tend to read as more realistic.
HEP 251 Module 5 help with common mistakes
Pick one population and one place in Phoenix to serve. State the problem with one or two strong facts. List the services and who would deliver them. Match each service to the harm it reduces and find evidence for the key ones. Add two or three measurable goals. Cut anything that does not support the case. If you are unsure which services fit, the desk can help you choose. Keep to one page, and read it aloud to check that it flows. Look up local services first so your program fills a real gap rather than duplicating one. Use person-first language throughout, and cite every statistic.
Write yours, or have the desk draft it
This paper is an original model document written by our desk, not a submitted student paper and not an official Arizona State University document. Read it for the moves, then write your own to the instructions in your classroom. If you want one built to your exact prompt and rubric, the first custom sample is free and arrives in 24 to 48 hours.
More HEP 251 and BS in Health Education and Health Promotion sample papers
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- HEP 452 Module 2: Module 2 Assignment: Opinion Editorial with SMOG Readability Assessment
- HEP 466 Module 3: Module 3 Artifact: Program Budget Presentation
- HEP 386 Module 5: Module 5 Assignment: SMART Objectives First Draft
HEP 251 Module 5 questions, answered
Where can I find a free HEP 251 Module 5 sample paper?
The full one-page harm reduction program rationale for west Phoenix is on this page.
What does the HEP 251 harm reduction assignment ask?
Propose a new harm reduction program in the Phoenix community and write a one-page rationale.
Does naloxone distribution reduce overdose deaths?
Yes; Massachusetts towns with wide bystander naloxone training saw fewer opioid deaths than towns without it.
How many people died of drug overdoses in 2023?
105,007 people in the United States, according to the National Center for Health Statistics.
What is harm reduction?
An approach that reduces the harms of drug use without requiring people to stop using first.