Prevention Point Philadelphia
Title: Syringe Services and Program Navigation
Student Interns:
Morgan Purcell
University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine
Academic Preceptor:
Hillary R. Bogner, MD, MSCE
University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine
Donald L. Boyer, MD, MSEd
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Community Preceptor:
Liba Judd
Prevention Point Philadelphia
Alison Sonnenschein
Prevention Point Philadelphia
Community Site:
Prevention Point Philadelphia is a harm-reduction-based public health nonprofit providing low-barrier services to Philadelphia and the surrounding area.
Team’s Experience:
The Bridging the Gaps student intern worked with both the Syringe Services and Integrated Healthcare Management programs. The intern helped provide services directly, including supplying participants with safe injection supplies, registering them for the syringe exchange, and helping to secure basic necessities such as water and clothing. By accompanying case managers and participants on medical visits, the intern learned how case managers can advocate for more vulnerable patient populations and how healthcare providers can incorporate harm reduction into their practice. The intern also assisted case managers in completing service eligibility checks and tracking program engagement. At the culmination of the internship, the intern created a new REDCap data collection form to register participants interested in social services, track engagement with navigation services, identify commonly requested resources among new participants at Prevention Point, and support follow-up efforts to engage participants in medical, legal, and social services offered at Prevention Point.
Reflections
“As I reflect on my time at Prevention Point, I am reminded of how essential community organizations are in bridging the gap between marginalized patient populations and the formal healthcare system. The folks working at Prevention Point show up every day for those who need it most and often serve as the first point of care for individuals who are often excluded or forgotten about in traditional medical settings. The support of community organizations like Prevention Point extends beyond what physicians can provide, offering hope, stability, and human connection in deeply meaningful ways. As a future physician, I hope to maintain strong, collaborative relationships with community organizations and to stay grounded in the real-life challenges my patients face outside the clinic walls. I have also witnessed how Prevention Point Philadelphia and other community organizations have suffered in today’s political climate and with significant cuts to funding, leading to a renewed commitment to advocacy for my future patients and for the organizations that care for them. It is not enough to treat illness; we must also protect and uplift the systems that allow people to survive.”
Morgan Purcell