Harm Reduction
Harm Reduction includes services and education to promote the health and dignity of individuals involved in risky health behaviors.
Stopping preventable deaths and reducing risky health behaviors includes a wide expanse of public health approaches from seatbelts, work safety standards, and vaccinations, to resources for substance abuse prevention and mitigation, as well as needle exchanges and other harm reduction strategies.
Resources & Links
Check out the following video which explains harm reduction with a lovely British accent. Which video do you find more helpful?: https://youtu.be/FtFYMEOetAs
Narcan kits available at our offices soon! For more information or to request a kit contact us here.
We offer most recommended ACIP vaccinations when available.
The SLV Behavioral Health Group offers a Suboxone program. For more information click the resource link below:
Pregnancy testing is currently available at our Mineral County office.
The nearest full service Sexual and Reproductive Health Services clinic is in Alamosa. They have limited hours, but can be contacted here:
What this looks like in the Silver Thread Public Health District
While the Silver Thread Public Health District cannot yet offer all harm reduction services locally, we do serve as a resource center and will help find access to the harm reduction resource needed. Many people just think of harm reduction as needle exchange, but harm reduction is an overall public health strategy that works to reduce harm from things we are exposed to.
Vaccinations are a form of harm reduction, and seatbelts too. Even our food bank can be seen as a form of harm reduction. While we're not ending hunger, or ensuring that everyone has a job that can supply them with enough money to buy the food they need to thrive, the food bank helps reduce the harm of hunger.
Harm reduction buys us time and more chances to heal the root cause of the harm or simply reduce the risk of an activity we like and aren't willing or able to do without. Bike and ski helmets are perhaps one of the most famous and effective forms of harm reduction. How many harm reduction practices can you name from just one day in your life? Have an idea for a harm reduction strategy in our community? Share your ideas here.