Cochise Harm Reduction (CHR), founded by Lu Funk in 2019, has become a vital organization addressing the overdose crisis in rural Cochise County, Arizona. Initially operating as a small syringe exchange from Funk’s car, CHR now provides comprehensive harm reduction services through brick-and-mortar locations and mobile outreach. These services include distributing sterile syringes, naloxone, fentanyl test strips, and sharps containers, as well as offering HIV and hepatitis C testing, camping supplies, food, and referrals to treatment programs. CHR’s growth has been significant; its team expanded from two to 11 members in 2023, increasing its budget by 280% and participant reach by 225%. This expansion directly impacted lives, with participants reporting 134 overdose reversals using naloxone and overdose deaths in the county dropping from 29 in 2022 to 18 in 2024.
Funk emphasizes the importance of tailoring harm reduction efforts to local needs, noting that CHR’s success stems from its flexibility and community relevance. “When I got into it, it was about supporting a few people in the community that I care about,” Funk said, reflecting on the organization’s unexpected growth. CHR now serves individuals across 16 zip codes in Cochise County via five monthly mobile routes. Despite challenges posed by Arizona’s restrictive paraphernalia laws and limited drug-checking capabilities, Funk highlights the critical role of policies like syringe service program decriminalization and Good Samaritan laws in enabling their work. They advocate for policy changes to ensure sustainable funding and operational flexibility for harm reduction programs.