If you were to assess 100 people struggling with substance use issues on a given day, it is likely that 99 of them would not be ready or willing to engage in substance use treatment. However, those 99 people would very likely be ready and willing to feel respected, to connect with others who accept them for who and where they are in their personal journeys, and most importantly — to learn how to avoid overdose and stay alive. Harm reduction strategies are a key evidence-based way to prevent death, overdose, and communicable disease, yet the approach is still not widely used — especially in traditional health care settings.

This Better Care Playbook blog post, by CHCS’ Chris Menschner, explores the evidence behind harm reduction strategies and shares practical steps for adopting this approach in health care settings.