Increasing Equity in Pain Management, Substance Use Disorder Treatment, and Linkages to CARE

STRATEGY: Apply Harm Reduction Principles

What is harm reduction? Harm reduction is an approach to providing compassionate and patient-centered care for people who use substances and who are not ready to reduce or stop their use. Care and services are provided without judgment or coerciveness, and with the goal of reducing the negative consequences (i.e., “harms”) associated with substance use. When practicing harm reduction, the care team collaborates with the patient to center the care plan on the patient’s goals in order to respect the patient’s autonomy. In a nutshell, harm reduction meets people “where they are—on their own terms, and may serve as a There is a spectrum of harm reduction supplies and services that health centers and their partners can offer to people who inject drugs. Examples include: 15 ❚ Syringe service programs that safely collect used needles and provide sterile needles for people who inject drugs ❚ Naloxone to reverse opioid overdose ❚ Fentanyl or Xylazine strips to to test drugs for these substances ❚ Alcohol pads to reduce risk of infection ❚ Vaccination for hepatitis A and B pathway to additional health and social services.” 14 Practical harm reduction supplies and services

Eboni Winford discusses the process of harm reduction, and provides examples of harm reduction practices with people who inject drugs.

Eboni Winford describes practicing harm reduction with a patient who used opioids and alcohol.

Kevonya Elzia discusses how she applied harm reduction principles with a patient preparing for knee surgery who used methamphetamines.

14 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Harm Reduction . 15 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Harm Reduction .

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