This three-part series will focus on the principles of harm reduction and its strategies to advance holistic services for individuals with substance use disorder (SUDs). Research indicates that harm reduction programs are evidence-based public health strategies designed to prevent overdose deaths, infectious disease, sexually transmitted infections, pregnancies, and injection drug use. For example, expanding access to naloxone for individuals using opioids is considered a harm reduction strategy. Specifically, this webinar series will include: an overview of the principles of harm reduction and their application in a harm reduction center; the importance of engaging law enforcement especially in rural areas and co-responder models; and a panel of experts discussing their expertise in offering harm reduction strategies in their service delivery as well as a consumer of harm reduction services.
Session One
March 30, 2021, from noon to 1:00 MT, will feature Lisa Raville, Executive Director of the Harm Reduction Action Center in Denver, CO. Ms. Raville will provide an overview of the principles of harm reduction.
The learning objectives include:
-An examination of the principles and evidence for the application of harm reduction strategies.
-The role of harm reduction programs in eliminating stigma and shame.
-Strategies to work cross-systems to advance harm reduction.
-Data from a recent survey of healthcare workers.
Session Two
April 13, 2021, from noon to 1:00 MT, will feature Chief Rick Brandt, Chief of Police in Evans, CO. Chief Brandt will provide content specific to engagement with law enforcement in harm reduction to include:
-Strategies to educate law enforcement on harm reduction in rural communities.
-Content on how to implement harm reduction in a PD and the leadership strategies employed.
-The role of law enforcement in working cross-system to prevent overdose deaths.
-Application of co-responder models.
Session Three
April 27, 2021, from noon to 1:30 MT, will feature a panel discussion to include the following panelists: (1) Lisa Raville, Executive Director of the Harm Reduction Action Center in CO, (2) Chris Harsell, ATTC Technical Trainer and Medical Director for Spectra Health in ND, (3) Gabriela Zapata-Alma, Director of Policy and Practice on Domestic Violence and Substance Use for the National Center on Domestic Violence, Trauma, and Mental Health in Chicago, Il, (4) and a consumer of harm reduction services. The focus will be on:
-Responding to questions surrounding implementation strategies.
-Community and consumer benefits of harm reduction services.
-How harm reduction can be employed in any agency.
