Strengthening Communities through Harm Reduction
Harm reduction is a public health strategy that prioritizes safety, dignity, and access to care for people who use substances. Instead of focusing solely on abstinence, harm reduction offers practical solutions to reduce the risks associated with drug use—keeping people alive and ensuring they have the support they need to move toward health and well-being.
Communities across the country, including right here in Southwest Washington, are embracing harm reduction as a way to reduce overdose deaths, prevent the spread of infectious diseases, and improve access to healthcare and treatment. These evidence-based, cost-effective programs meet people where they are, offering support without judgment.
In 2024, SWACH’s newly launched Community Health Improvement department sustained and implemented strategies to increase harm reduction resources across our region.
What is Harm Reduction?
Harm reduction acknowledges that some people will engage in high-risk behaviors, but with the right support, those risks can be reduced. Rooted in compassion, science, and public health, harm reduction strategies include:
Naloxone distribution – Providing easy access to naloxone (Narcan), a medication that reverses opioid overdoses, that anyone can access.
Syringe service programs – Offering supplies like sharps containers, wound care, sterile syringes to reduce the spread of diseases like HIV and hepatitis C.
Fentanyl test strips – Allowing individuals to test for fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid, in their drug supply.
Low-barrier access to treatment – Reducing barriers to healthcare, housing, and social services. Additional resources include medication treatments for opioid use disorder like Vivitrol, Buprenorphine/naloxone, and Methadone.
Why Harm Reduction Matters
Harm reduction programs have been proven to save lives, reduce healthcare costs, and improve long-term health outcomes. These efforts:
Prevent overdoses by increasing access to life-saving naloxone.
Connect people to care by offering pathways to treatment and medical services.
Improve public safety by reducing drug-related crime and discarded syringes in public spaces.
Reduce stigma by shifting the conversation from punishment to public health.
Building Trust is the path to achieving positive outcomes and changing users’ lives.
Harm Reduction in Practice
Among the highlights is the expansion of SWACH’s naloxone vending machine program. These machines, placed in accessible community locations, have made life-saving Narcan readily available, empowering individuals to respond to opioid overdoses and reduce harm across Southwest Washington. Our newest location opened in the Clark County Jail in 2024, providing naloxone for free to individuals with justice system involvement.
CHI also provided backbone support the Prevention and Recovery Alliance of Clark County (PRACC), which works across multiple industries to address opioid use and substance use disorders in Clark County. Their goal is zero overdose-related deaths in the region.
The department also provided “train the trainer” outreach trainings, designed to help organization and interested individuals receive the education and resources to teach others how to administer naloxone safely, and about the core tenets of harm reduction.
Throughout 2025, CHI will continue to provide innovative solutions and programming to make harm reduction information and resources readily available in the community.