FAQs: Harm Reduction

Harm reduction is a set of policies and programs that allow individuals to mitigate the risks associated with particular behaviors, whether those involve drugs, alcohol, tobacco or sex. At its foundation, harm reduction recognizes that strategies that emphasize abstinence or behavior avoidance may work for some individuals, but they are ineffective at the population level. Alternatively, harm reduction respects both human rights and personal autonomy, providing non-judgmental care and education alongside access to tools—such as condoms or alternative products—that help people stay safer. 

Learn more information about Harm Reduction from the following sources:

National Harm Reduction Coalition

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Stop Overdose Campaign

The stigmatization and criminalization of drug use stops people from requesting or receiving services that could save or improve their lives. Harm reduction puts the client first (a client-centered approach), provides flexibility, and focuses on the individual needs of each person. It puts emphasis on the strengths and capabilities of the individual and encourages empowerment. It also actively engages clients in making positive changes in their lives. 

Offering harm reduction services is an effective approach for preventing overdose, the spread of infectious disease, and other harms resulting from drug use.  

Harm reduction accepts some people engage in risky behaviors. There is no judgement for such behaviors, but this does not mean that risky decisions are encouraged. Harm reduction acknowledges the very real harms associated with risky behaviors and does not try to minimize the impact of them.

Harm reduction services do not increase crime in surrounding areas. In fact, they often improve community safety and cleanliness.

Harm reduction’s main goal is to keep people alive and as healthy as possible, and direct services often connect people with recovery resources that support sobriety or abstinence. However, harm reduction does not exclusively address addiction; rather, it gives people the tools to choose less harmful ways of engaging in a range of risky behaviors.  

Naloxone (also known as Narcan®) is a non-addictive medication called an “opioid antagonist” used to counter the effects of opioid overdose, for example morphine and heroin overdose. Naloxone is used to counteract life-threatening depression of the central nervous system and respiratory system, allowing an overdose victim to breathe normally. Naloxone only works if a person has opioids in their system; the medication has no effect if opioids are absent.

Although traditionally administered by emergency response personnel, naloxone can be administered by minimally trained laypeople, which makes it ideal for treating overdose in people who have been prescribed opioid pain medication and in people who use heroin and other opioids.

For more information about Opioid overdose and training on the use of Naloxone, please visit the National Harm Reduction Coalition website.

Harm reduction applies to many more behaviors than just drug use. From seat belts to condoms to designated drivers, most people engage in some form of harm reduction at some point.

EAC is implementing a small-scale project focused on harm reduction in Southwest Arkansas based out of our Texarkana EPIC Empowerment Center. This project is funded through a grant partnership with the SUSTAIN Wellbeing COMPASS Coordinating Center at the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work, a Gilead COMPASS Initiative Coordinating Center working to address HIV/AIDS in the South by focusing on mental health, trauma-informed care, substance use (especially harm reduction and the opioid epidemic) and wellness in the context of HIV/AIDS. 

Our project is based on two goals: (1) ensuring all of our community-based staff are trained on harm reduction strategies; and (2) distributing "EPIC Empowerment Kits" at events and by request. EPIC kits contain Naloxone, safe sex supplies, hygiene products and educational resources for people at risk in our community.

Yes! While we cannot share information on all of the projects out there, we are able to share those with which we are familiar below:

Central Arkansas Harm Reduction Project