LIVE with The Famous Dr AL and Carlos Del Valle

Interview with Carlos Delvalle Introduction Host: Dr. Allen LyckaGuest: Carlos Delvalle, Community Engagement Coordinator at Prevention Point PhiladelphiaFocus: Carlos's work in harm reduction, overdose prevention, and community outreach Getting Involved and Passion for the Cause Motivation: Personal connections to substance use and a desire to create a better worldRecent Activities: Blanket drive in Kensington to help those in need The Drug Problem in Philadelphia Scope of the Problem: It's a significant issue, but efforts are being made to combat itEducation Efforts: Bringing real-life experiences from Kensington to educate others Methods of Education and Outreach Street Training: Using mannequins and real-life experiences for first responder trainingVolunteer Work: Engaging the community through various programs like syringe services, food distribution, and gender-specific nights Changes in the Drug Supply Evolution of Drugs: The supply and composition of drugs are constantly changingFeedback Loop: Using community feedback to adapt outreach and services Overdose Reversal and Rescue Breathing Narcan Use: Still effective but often requires additional measures like rescue breathingImportance of Oxygen: Preventing brain damage by ensuring rescue breathing accompanies Narcan administration Preventing Overdoses Education: Teaching about contamination of substances and personal toleranceTools: Distribution of fentanyl and benzo test strips, carrying Narcan Understanding and Supporting Substance Users Humanizing Users: Recognizing that substance users are people with families and past livesChallenges: The changing drug supply and lack of research make recovery difficult Impact and Success Stories Small Wins: Every meal provided, and every person helped into treatment is a successReunification: Reuniting individuals with their families across the U.S. Addressing the Broader Issue Community Involvement: Collaboration with various organizations to fill gaps in servicesEngagement: The importance of engaging with the community to understand and address addiction Advice for Families of Substance Users Third-Party Help: Sometimes a stranger can help when family efforts have failedPatience and Understanding: Accepting that recovery might not happen on the family's timeline How to Get Involved Website: www.preventionpoint.orgContact: [email protected] BIO: Carlos Del Valle has been at Prevention Point Philadelphia (PPP) since 2018 and is currently the Community Engagement Coordinator. In this role, he engages diverse communities around harm reduction, providing education regarding the risks associated with substance use. He also leads PPP's efforts to give back to the Kensington neighborhood by organizing block clean-ups and providing grocery deliveries to local families. Additionally, Carlos leads PPP Men's Night, a weekly event where food, services, and support are offered to people of all genders, with open discussions geared towards men’s issues. Prior to this role, Carlos worked as an Overdose Prevention Specialist, conducting group overdose reversal trainings throughout Philadelphia. He conducted targeted outreach in communities most impacted by the unfolding overdose crisis by recruiting and training a community overdose response network. When Carlos first arrived at PPP in 2018, he worked as a Housing Specialist, helping manage the meal service, community resident meetings, and helping residents engage with local resources. Carlos has reversed over 600 overdoses. He has skills in community outreach and engagement, group training, emergency response and client de-escalation, group management, and data management. Carlos spends his free time re-uniting individuals with their families, distributing food in the community, being a father, and trying to create a more caring world. Social Media: Prevention Point Philadelphia on Facebook, X/Twitter, and Instagram