Bridgetown: A Harm Reduction Novel

Summary

FINALIST, 2021 INDIES TODAY BOOK AWARDS. FINALIST, 16TH ANNUAL N.I.E.A. AWARDS (NATIONAL INDIE EXCELLENCE AWARDS (ADDICTION & RECOVERY)

Harm reductionist Harley Hammond manages a dedicated team at the Bridgeworks Syringe Access Program in the heart of Portland, Oregon. Known as a pillar of compassion and hope, she fights for the rights and well-being of people who use drugs.

When a torrent of fentanyl-laced heroin floods a city already crippled by the failed War on Drugs, overdose preventions are overwhelmed and the Bridgeworks team rushes to put life-saving supplies into the hands of those who need them most. As fatal overdoses skyrocket, stigma, blame and fear further fuel an already volatile public health crisis. Risking her position and incarceration, Harley turns to dealers and unsanctioned risk reduction tactics in an attempt to not only “meet people where they’re at,” but ensure no one else gets left behind.

In the wake of his award-winning first book, One Hit Away: A Memoir of Recovery, Barnes dives into the pivotal role of harm reduction programs as they relate to human rights, mental health and social justice. From safer consumption spaces to safer drug use, and following a chilling record set for fatal overdoses in the US, Bridgetown: A Harm Reduction Novel is a found-family journey packed with empathy and urgency to follow the science and pathways proven to work.