SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — Last year, 90 people in Sangamon County died from overdoses. Tiara Standage, Executive Director of Intricate Minds, is using her organization to try to reduce that number through harm reduction efforts. 

"Harm reduction, means keeping people alive, people who are in active use, keeping them alive and safe," said Standage. "It's just a harsh reality that everybody isn't going to stop using drugs. So the people that are still in active use, we need to make sure that they're using safely and that they have the education on how to test their drugs for fentanyl." 

For the past year, Intricate Minds has operated out of their building at 619 North Grand Avenue. Through a grant from Memorial Health, Standage plans to use the building's drive-thru window to provide a new service. 

"Plan B, condoms, harm reduction supplies, anything that we have in here they would be able to just pull up and get it through the drive-thru as well," explained Standage. "Sometimes there's a little stigma attached to some of the supplies we give out, so hopefully that will provide a little bit more privacy." 

Standage said Intricate Minds is one of only two organizations in Springfield that provides harm reduction services, so it's important to meet people where they are. She is also hoping to use some of the grant funding to launch a mobile harm reduction service. 

"People have come in and told me stories about saving people's lives from the Narcan that we keep outside," said Standage. "So when people tell me stuff like that, I know that I'm where I need to be, for those services to get to the people that need them." 

Intricate Minds offers more than just harm reduction services. They provide free haircuts to 30-40 people each Monday and a warm meal each Wednesday. The building also has a closet and food pantry that are accessible to anyone when Intricate Minds is open.

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