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Harm Reduction

Our Harm Reduction team provides training to all Homeless Services staff on overdose prevention, including the use of Narcan, and responds to critical incidents in our shelters.

The dedicated Harm Reduction team was created in 2022, and it is housed within our shelters. In addition to providing intensive services to guests who use substances, the team provides safety planning with guests, including those transitioning into permanent housing, and assists with safety monitoring for guests under the influence of drugs and alcohol.

Harm Reduction is based on reducing the negative consequences associated with drug use, while realizing that stopping drug use altogether is not always the path that guests will choose. Rather than stigmatizing people who use drugs, our Harm Reduction team works to provide them with safer alternatives to their current practices, and to problem-solve ways to improve guests’ quality of life. 

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