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 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.