Groups is a leading provider of treatment and medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD). At Groups, we inform our approach with the principles of harm reduction.
Harm reduction recognizes and respects individual autonomy. It acknowledges that one path isn’t right for everyone. Each individual is the expert in their own journey. In harm reduction, using or not using drugs are equally valid. People deserve compassion and respect, whether they use drugs or not.
Whether you’re using drugs or trying not to, there are free tools and resources that can help you keep yourself safer. In this blog post, we’ll talk about 11 examples that may be available to you. By familiarizing yourself with as many of these tools as possible, you can figure out which ones will work best for your goals and circumstances.
Harm reduction is a set of practices and a movement promoting the safety and dignity of people who use drugs. It puts the person’s experience and informed consent at the center of their care decisions. Harm reduction is an effective tool for reducing overdose deaths and the spread of infections.
Communities have been using harm reduction to take care of themselves for centuries. During the HIV/AIDS crisis, harm reduction practices like needle exchanges were central to keeping people alive. In more recent decades, public health practitioners took their cue from mutual aid organizations and incorporated some of the principles in their own work. In 2021, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) led the first Harm Reduction Summit, formally introducing the framework to a broader public health audience.
Learning about harm reduction tools and practices can help you stay safe and connect you with supportive, affirming community, and resources. In harm reduction-focused spaces, people with lived experience of using drugs are centered. You might find a center that offers supervised consumption services in your area. Or you might meet a person who carries supplies like clean needles, fentanyl testing strips, and Narcan.
In many cases, harm reduction is as simple as making sure someone can take a hot shower and get something to eat. Organizations like Groups provide wraparound services. They not only help people stop or reduce opioid use, but also help with:
The following 11 harm reduction tools and strategies can help you stay safe on your way to recovery:
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