About Us

Harm reduction is a philosophy and set of strategies for working with individuals engaged in potentially harmful behaviors. The main objective is to reduce the potential dangers and health risks associated with such behaviors, even for those who are not willing or able to completely stop. Harm reduction uses a non-judgmental, holistic, and individualized approach to support incremental change and increase the health and well-being of individuals and communities.  

Harm reduction embraces the following concepts and strategies to achieve its goals:

• Meet people “where they are”.  This is taken both figuratively and literally.  It means understanding that things such as drug use and prostitution are complex, multi-faceted phenomenon that encompass a continuum of behaviors in which some ways are less problematic than others. It means working with people in their own environments rather than simply bringing them to an office or other fixed location.
• The goals are self-defined by the clients. Harm reduction starts with the person – what does he or she want? What is their priority?  What is important? What is the person ready, willing, and able to change?
• Options are presented rather than directives.  Harm reduction aims to improve the quality of individual and community life and well-being. It does not consider the abolishment of drug use or prostitution the criteria for successful interventions and policies.
• Harm reduction is non-judgmental and takes a neutral stance wherever possible.  It is aimed at reducing harms not making value judgments. 
• Any positive change is supported. Progress is recognized. The concept of “zero tolerance” is not part of harm reduction.

• Individuals are valued and validated with unconditional regard and respect.  Harm reduction recognizes that those engaged in risky behavior themselves are the primary agents for reducing the harms associated with those behaviors.  It encourages them to support each other in strategies which meet their actual expressed problems. 

• Harm reduction works to ensure that people with a history of risky behavior are empowered by including them in the planning and creation of policies designed to serve them.

• Harm reduction recognizes the many social factors such as poverty, class, race, social isolation, past trauma, sexism, and other like factors affect both people’s vulnerability and capacity for effectively dealing with harms associated with drugs, prostitution, or other risky behaviors.