Rise Above - New River Health District Harm Reduction Services

08/28/2026

08/18/2026

Rise Above is excited to partner with River & Ridge Peer Center to expand access to peer support in Giles County. Beginning next Tuesday, August 18, Rebecca Akers, R-CPRS, will be at the center each Tuesday from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM for Creative Recovery. Rebecca will be available to offer peer support, answer questions about Rise Above services, provide program information and swag, and connect with anyone looking for support in a welcoming environment.

Please note that harm reduction supplies will not be distributed at River & Ridge Peer Center during these visits. Rebecca’s role is to provide peer support, education, and connections to services.

We look forward to working together to strengthen recovery support and community connections in Giles County 🧡

08/18/2026

Once again Pulaski County Emergency Management has made sure that we have more than enough water to go around. Thank you for dropping off another delivery to us at Pulaski Library!

08/12/2026

Our compassionate, judgment-free team provides personalized care for individuals seeking treatment for substance use disorders, including:
• Medication-assisted treatment
• Group and individual counseling
• Peer recovery support
• Care coordination and connection to community resources
Whether you're taking the first step or returning to treatment, we're here to help you build a healthier future. Visit https://chcnrv.org/obat/ to learn more.

07/22/2026

Introducing the Rise Above Participant Starter Bag 🧡

Everyone has to start somewhere.

Whether you’re meeting our team for the first time or just learning about harm reduction, we want that first connection to feel welcoming, supportive, and free of judgment.

Our new Participant Starter Bag is a simple way to introduce you to who we are and some of the services we provide. Each bag includes:
• Safe use kit
• Skin care kit
• Wound care kit
• 2 fentanyl test strips
• 1 dose of naloxone
• Rise Above information sheet with our walk in hours, outreach schedule, services, and contact information

This is just a small sample of the supplies and services available through Rise Above. Every person’s needs are different, and we’re here to meet you where you are.

And because everyone likes a surprise, we’ve tucked one of our new Rise Above T shirts into a few of the starter bags! Not every bag has one, but you might get lucky 🧡

Whether you need safer use supplies, naloxone, wound care supplies, resource navigation, or simply someone who will treat you with dignity and respect, our team is here for you.

You do not have to be ready for treatment to deserve compassion. You deserve to be safe. You deserve to be heard. And you deserve to know that someone cares.

Stop by during walk in hours or say hello to our mobile outreach team. We’d love the opportunity to meet you - one conversation can make all the difference 🧡

07/20/2026

Important Outreach Update

The Rise Above mobile outreach unit will not be operating next week, July 27th through July 31st, as our outreach team takes some well-deserved time to rest and spend time with their families.

If you need supplies or services during that time, we encourage you to visit our regularly scheduled walk-in hours at the Radford City or Montgomery County Health Departments.

If you are unable to make it during walk-in hours, please reach out to us directly and we'll do our best to make arrangements.

Chris Alderman
Program Coordinator
Rise Above Harm Reduction Services
540-824-2082

Thank you for your understanding and continued support. We look forward to seeing everyone when our mobile outreach resumes the week of August 3rd.

07/14/2026

We want your feedback!

If you've received services from Rise Above, we'd love to hear about your experience. Your feedback helps us improve our program and better serve our community.

You can complete a quick consumer survey by connecting with our outreach team or stopping by our Radford office during walk-in hours.

Thank you for helping us make Rise Above even better! 🧡

07/09/2026

Rise Above has a limited supply of injectable naloxone available!

Reach out to our team or come see us to get your kit. We'll also provide a quick training so you can feel comfortable using it if an overdose happens.

How to use injectable naloxone:
1. Check for responsiveness and call 911
2. Draw 1 mL of naloxone into the syringe.
3. Inject it into a large muscle such as the upper arm, thigh, or buttock.
4. Give 2 rescue breaths, then continue with 1 rescue breath every 5 seconds.
5. Stay with the person until EMS arrives.

Some people prefer injectable naloxone because one vial can provide multiple doses, it's often more cost effective, and it can be useful when the nose is blocked or severely injured.

Each kit comes with a CPR shield, 2 vials of naloxone, and 2 syringes.