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Kim Powers currently serves as the Interim Executive Director of the Massachusetts Harm Reduction Workforce Coalition (MAHRWC) and is the Founder and Executive Director of Access HOPE (Ahopecc)
Kim has over 35 years experience building low barrier health systems for marginalized communites, Fueled by unwavering hope and a fierce commitment PWUD and PLWH
Kim joined the Harm Reduction movement through ACT UP Boston in the late 1980’s
where she was a founding member of the IV League, an underground syringe exchange in Boston during the height of the HIV/AIDS crisis. Her career has since evolved from grassroots activism to high-level policy consulting, where she bridges the gap between "street-level" realities and institutional health frameworks.
Her expertise is further utilized as a consultant for Boston Medical Center (BMC), As a Lead Implementation Partner at Opioid Policy Research Collaborative at Brandeis University’s Heller School for the StreetCheck community drug checking app and the Massachusetts Drug Supply Data Stream (MADDS), where she bridges the gap between grassroots practice and academic research.Kim is Member of the DPH Massachusetts Harm Reduction Advisory Council (HRAC) and a frequent expert witness for the SJC and State Legislature regarding Harm Reduction Policies. Kim was a key contributor during a pivotal legal battle with GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD), the case led to a landmark 2017 Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) ruling which affirmed that private organizations can legally distribute syringes without local municipal approval, effectively changing how needle exchange laws are enforced statewide.
Her perspective on the evolution of the field—from the HIV/AIDS era to the current opioid crisis—is documented in the Harm Reduction in Massachusetts Oral History Project.
https://sadod.org/2021/11/09/sherememberstheirnamesandfaces
https://www.voicesofharmreduction.com/interviews/interview-jess-tilly-6jba2-a3a5e
https://www.capecodtimes.com/story/news/drugs/2017/03/06/a-clean-sweep-with-hyannis/22021078007/
https://provincetownindependent.org/tag/kim-powers/
https://nasen.org/sep/access-hope
https://www.capecod.gov/2024/05/23/community-access-to-resources-and-education-care-guide/
https://www.ahopecc.com/home/harm-reduction-supplies
https://www.health-street.net/location/hyannis-ma-drug-testing/
https://www.capecod.com/newscenter/cape-women-honored-for-substance-abuse-and-health-efforts/
https://www.boston.com/news/health/2023/08/24/narcan-mbta-red-line-stations-opioid-crisis/
Decades of experience: Powers has been a part of the harm reduction movement for more than 30 years. Before founding Access HOPE, she was the health outreach coordinator for the AIDS Support Group of Cape Cod (ASGCC).
Mission: Access HOPE is a grassroots mobile outreach program run by a team with lived and living experience. It provides confidential, low-barrier services and resources directly to people who use drugs in the places they are.
Overdose prevention: Through Access HOPE, Powers distributes life-saving supplies, including the overdose reversal medication Narcan (naloxone) and drug-checking equipment like fentanyl test strips.
Social justice and advocacy: The organization advocates for social justice and strives to address systemic injustices that impact the communities it serves. Powers is a vocal advocate for harm reduction practices and the legalization of harm reduction centers.
Funding and support: Access HOPE is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit. The program has received support from entities like RIZE Massachusetts, and state funding has helped the organization expand its impact.
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