WHAT IS HARM REDUCTION?

Compassion. Dignity. Respect.

Harm reduction is a set of practical strategies and ideas aimed at reducing negative consequences associated with drug use. Harm reduction is also a movement for social justice built on a belief in, and respect for, the rights of people who use drugs.

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Harm reduction principles and activities were developed to improve the health of people who use drugs. The model recognizes the many reasons why people use drugs and that some people cannot or may not wish to discontinue using drugs.

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Here at Out of Harm's Reach, we want to be a catalyst for positive change, and since our beginnings in 2021, we’ve been driven by the same ideas we initially founded our organization upon: support, empowerment, and progress. By providing compassionate care and determined harm reduction education we hope to guide our community towards erasing the stigma surrounding people who use drugs.  Learn more about our mission, our vision, and how we go about making the changes we want to see below.

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OUR MISSION

To reduce the number of accidental death and injury due to illicit drug use.

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OUR VISION

Our goal is to provide compassionate care to individuals in need by meeting them where they are at instead of from a place of judgement or critique. We strive to reduce the stigma against people who use drugs by facilitating a requirement free program that provides treatment and services to both those who are actively using, as well as those in recovery, which allows for a wider range of impact and provides a safe space for everyone regardless of where they are at in their personal journey.

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WHAT WE DO

Our services at the moment include harm reduction education and training, including Narcan administration seminars and distribution events. Narcan is a drug that effectively reverses the effects of an opioid overdose with almost immediate results allowing the individual to regain respiratory functions and basically come back to life after an almost certain death due to overdose. 

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In the future we would like to expand our services to include other forms of harm reduction including a mobile needle exchange that provides sterile supplies and injection alternatives, peer to peer support opportunities, and referrals to recovery options such as medication assisted treatment (MAT) among others.

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