Originally Blogged by: Dustin Kight on September 9, 2010 at 5:01 pm

We regret to announce AAC needle exchange staff member, Rachel Auspitz, passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, September 5, 2010. Rachel was an outspoken harm reduction advocate committed to protecting the health and well-being of drug users and their communities by reducing drug-related harm for nearly two decades.
 
Rachel was particularly passionate about overdose prevention and excited to see the evolution of a grassroots Narcan distribution strategy grow into the statewide pilot program through the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. She became a key voice in overdose prevention and in 2009 educated over 250 service providers, state officials and community members in venues ranging from homeless shelters to the State House.
 
Rachel volunteered with many community groups dedicated to raising awareness around HIV, Hepatitis C and substance use. The Cambridge Prevention Coalition’s Overdose Prevention and Education Network (OPEN) and the Roxbury/Jamaica Plain Substance Use Coalition also benefited greatly from Rachel’s expertise and enthusiasm. She was dedicated to combating stigma and discrimination in all forms and was preparing to present on internalized stigma at the 8th National Harm Reduction Conference to be held in November 2010.
 
A celebration of Rachel’s life will be held on Wednesday, September 15th from 6p-8p at the Middlesex Lounge, 315 Massachusetts Avenue in Cambridge. For additional information please contact Lee Thornhill, Director of Harm Reduction, at (617) 599-0216 or lthornhill@ccaa.org