The RISE Program

The role of RISE at the Brooklyn Free Clinic is to address patients’ sexual health concerns and provide education and resources for safer drug use. We strive to normalize conversations around HIV/STIs and substance use through patient interactions grounded in the principles of harm reduction and empathy. Rather than discouraging or shaming certain behaviors, harm reduction means meeting patients where they are and equipping them with the tools and information needed to make informed decisions about their health.

We support patients more broadly in conversations about sexual health, including consent, barrier protection, contraception, PrEP, HPV vaccination, and HIV/STI risk factors. As part of our sexual health services, we also screen patients for HPV vaccine eligibility and provide counseling on the benefits of vaccination and access to care.

In addition to sexual health services, we provide education on safer substance use and distribute naloxone, fentanyl test strips, and xylazine test strips. Naloxone (Narcan) is a lifesaving medication that reverses opioid overdoses and is an important public health tool for reducing overdose-related deaths in New York City. We provide patients with naloxone kits and training so they can confidently administer the medication in an emergency.

As student volunteers ourselves, the RISE co-directors are continually learning and evolving in our roles at the Brooklyn Free Clinic. We are excited to welcome new student volunteers, whose perspectives and experiences help strengthen our patient interactions and expand the impact of RISE within the clinic. Through each patient encounter, we strive to grow into compassionate, knowledgeable providers and allied health professionals.