Community Engagement Team
The Community Engagement program aims to reduce the barriers people who use drugs often face trying to access services. The program does this by collaborating with community-based organizations and other city agencies and through community interviews and qualitative data collection. There remain large pockets of the city where individuals who use drugs have few pathways into care. The Community Engagement team works with people in these neighborhoods to gather information on what barriers to care they face and how the Division of Substance Use Prevention and Harm Reduction can help them eliminate those barriers. Collaborators with SUPHR’s Community Engagement program also help to expedite entry into treatment facilities and provide case management for Philadelphians returning from incarceration who are at elevated risk of overdose.
In 2021, the highest unintentional overdose fatalities in the City were amongst Black Philadelphians. Fatalities were also concentrated in North Philadelphia zip codes with primarily Black residents: 19132, 19133, 19140, 19141 and 19140. The Community Engagement Program aims to reach these neighborhoods to collect information and provide resources to people who use drugs in culturally relevant and appropriate ways.
Earlier this year, the program’s first Community Assessment and Engagement Specialist, Dominique McQuade, began an outreach engagement strategy in the North Philadelphia community. She has built trusted relationships by becoming a consistent source of support, harm reduction supplies, and substance use information. Her presence in the community allows SUPHR to expand programming to specifically include populations at the highest risk.
A day at work with Community Engagement
Un dia de trabajo con Equipo de Compromise con la Comunidad de SUPHR
Other Collaborations
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AR-2 launched as a pilot program in April 2019 after receiving federal grants from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The unit, composed of a paramedic and case manager, works in Kensington and responds to nonfatal overdoses when an individual refuses transport to an emergency department. They also accept “walk-ins” and community referrals. The team connects people to treatment on demand and provides a warm handoff to treatment facilities. They also distribute the medication used to reverse opioid overdoses, naloxone, citywide.
Read more about the AR-2 program.
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LEAP (Linkage and Engagement After Prison) is a partnership with Action Wellness. For the past 30 years, Action Wellness has been working with individuals incarcerated in Philadelphia jails. In 2020, SUPHR funded Action Wellness to provide case management for those at high risk of overdose upon release from incarceration.
LEAP is a voluntary program for anyone inducted on suboxone, a medication used to treat opioid use disorder, in the Philadelphia Department of Prisons. Case managers visit their clients behind the walls and continue providing services for 3-6 months post-incarceration. Upon release, each client is assigned a care outreach specialist who accompanies them on medical appointments, shopping trips, court dates, and other errands as needed. Abstention from substance use is not a pre-requisite for participation in the LEAP program.
Meet the team
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT & ENGAGEMENT LEAD
Dominique (she/her) is the SUPHR Community Assessment and Engagement Specialist. She began her role with the Philadelphia Department of Public Health (PDPH) in March of 2022, but has been working to provide harm reduction resources and education to low-income Black and brown communities since she moved to Philadelphia in early 2020. In addition, Dominique’s role now includes qualitative research and assessment. She works very hard to foster community relationships and create opportunities within populations most afflicted by the increasing overdose crisis.
Dominique McQuade
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SPECIALIST
Wendy Brown is a dedicated Community Engagement Street Team Lead with the PDPH SUPHR Division. With over a year of experience in this role, Wendy's passion for helping individuals struggling with substance use disorder is deeply rooted in her personal experiences with others with SUD. Her previous employment at ShopRite for 17 years has honed her ability to work compassionately and empathetically with people from all walks of life.
Today, Wendy plays a crucial role in providing essential services to the community, leveraging her understanding and experience to make a positive impact on the lives of those in need.
Wendy Brown
STREET TEAM SPECIALIST
Ashley Matos-Reyes (she/her) has always been committed to giving back and supporting her community that raised her. As the daughter of immigrant parents from the Dominican Republic, Ashley grew up in North Philly witnessing firsthand the challenges her family faced while navigating resources and building a life in a new country. These experiences shaped her understanding of the importance of community, support, and collective care.
Ashley believes that it truly takes a village, which is why she feels right at home as a Street Team Specialist with SUPHR’s Community Engagement Street Team. She has been with SUPHR for the past three years and, throughout her time with the organization, has learned just as much from the black and brown community she serves as she has from the incredible individuals she has had the opportunity to work with.
Ashley is grateful to do work that is rooted in connection, service, and harm reduction. She genuinely loves what she does for a living and is proud to contribute to a cause that reflects her values and personal experiences.
Ashley Matos-Reyes
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SPECIALIST
Denise.Miranda-Santana@phila.gov
I was born and raised in Philadelphia, and my journey in harm reduction began at Prevention Point Philadelphia, where I served as a Lead at their Drop-in Center. For approximately seven years, I have dedicated myself to harm reduction and to supporting individuals and communities with compassion, dignity, and without judgment.
My passion for this work is deeply personal. In 2013, I lost my sister to a substance use overdose. That loss changed my life and strengthened my commitment to helping others and advocating for people who are often misunderstood, overlooked, or stigmatized. Through my own experience with loss, I have come to understand the importance of compassion, connection, and simply being there for someone when they need it most.
I genuinely love people and believe that everyone deserves to be seen, heard, respected, and treated with kindness. My passion is helping our unhoused community and meeting individuals exactly where they are in life—without judgment or assumptions. I believe in building trust, creating meaningful connections, and helping people access the resources and support they need.
For me, harm reduction is more than a profession—it is personal, purposeful, and rooted in humanity. I am proud to show up for my community, listen to people's stories, and remind them that they matter. My goal is to continue making a difference, one person and one connection at a time.
Denise Miranda-Santana
STREET TEAM SPECIALIST
Genesis Perea (She/Her/Hers) is a Street Team Specialist dedicated to serving and supporting individuals and communities with compassion, respect, and understanding. She began her role with the Philadelphia Department of Public Health (PDPH) in July 2026, building on her experience volunteering with harm reduction organizations since 2023.
Genesis holds a bachelor's degree in health and human services and is currently pursuing her master's degree in the same field. In her role, she works directly in the community to provide essential services, build meaningful connections, and ensure that individuals feel supported throughout their personal journeys.
Inspired by personal experiences with family members impacted by substance use, Genesis is passionate about meeting people where they are and treating every individual with dignity and compassion. She strives to use both her professional experiences and personal perspective to help others navigate life’s challenges, connect with resources, and feel empowered throughout their journeys.
Genesis Perea
STREET TEAM SPECIALIST
I have a deep passion for helping people and being a light in their darkest moments. After losing my stepdaughter to a fentanyl overdose in Kensington and nearly losing my son to the devastating effects of addiction, my purpose became even clearer.
I believe everyone deserves a chance to heal, rebuild, and live the life they deserve. My mission is to offer hope, compassion, and support to those struggling, while reminding them that their story doesn’t have to end in darkness.