Harm Reduction Resources

Support for the Workforce

• Wildflower Alliance https://wildfloweralliance.org/

• SADOD https://sadod.org/

• Drug Checking for the People https://www.drugcheckingftp.org/

Frontline Resources

• SafeSpot https://safe-spot.me/

• Remedy Alliance for the People https://remedyallianceftp.org/

• NEXT Distro (resource library) https://nextdistro.org/resources

• Smoke Works https://smokeworks.org/

• Exchange Supplies https://www.exchangesupplies.org/

Advocacy and Education

• National Harm Reduction Coalition (NHRC) https://harmreduction.org/

• National Black Harm Reduction Network https://www.nbhrn.org/

• Drug Policy Alliance (DPA) https://drugpolicy.org/

• Faith in Harm Reduction https://faithinharmreduction.org/

• Harm Reduction International (HRI) https://hri.global/

• Voices of Harm Reduction https://www.voicesofharmreduction.com/

• Massachusetts for Overdose Prevention (MA4OPC) https://ma4opc.org/

Toolkits

• National Harm Reduction Coalition (NHRC) Pregnancy & Substance Use

• https://harmreduction.org/issues/pregnancy-and-substance-use-a-harm-reduction-toolkit/

• National Harm Reduction Coalition (NHRC) Native Harm Reduction

• https://harmreduction.org/native-toolkit/

• https://www.rizema.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/CoB-Harm-Reduction-Toolkit.pdf

• City of Boston Harm Reduction Toolkit

• https://www.rizema.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/CoB-Harm-Reduction-Toolkit.pdf

• Shelter Settings & Substance Use

• https://www.rizema.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Harm_Reduction_Toolkit_RIZE_BMC_FINAL_Oct21.pdf

The Larger Struggle

• We believe that each person has the right to make decisions about what to do with their own body and that individuals, not “experts”, are best equipped to make decisions about their lives.

• We accept that, for better and for worse, licit and illicit drug use is a part of our world and we choose to work to minimize the harmful effects of drugs rather than simply ignoring or condemning them.

• We believe that health care is a human right.

• We recognize that adequate services and the conditions necessary for their development cannot be attained without fundamental changes in our society’s economic, political, and social structures.

• We support the struggle to end the criminal-industrial complex and transformative justice practices.

Our Program

• We affirm that harm reduction is a path to increased health and wellness for PWUD, as defined by those individuals, and is not necessarily a path to cessation of drug use or certain forms of drug use.

• We affirm that our work should be transparent and that stakeholders, including staff, the board of directors, volunteers, funders, partners, and the larger harm reduction community in Massachusetts should routinely have a voice in our services and programming.

• We believe that PWUD are the most effective in reducing the harms associated with their drug use. Our goal is to empower them and harm reduction providers to share knowledge and support. This enables them to advocate for their needs and implement strategies that promote positive changes for themselves and their communities.

• We affirm our commitment to providing harm reduction workers, especially those who use drugs, with the experienced support, capacity building, alignment support and advocacy they need to best serve people who use drugs in Massachusetts.

• We recognize that various factors such as poverty, class, racism, social isolation, past trauma, mental health challenges, and discrimination based on sex and gender affect individuals’ vulnerability to drug-related harm. These issues also impact their ability to manage such harm effectively, including their susceptibility to discriminatory enforcement of drug policies based on race and class.

• We affirm that we are committed to the provision and advocacy of evidence-based services responsive to the climates from which they emerge.

The Workplace

• We believe that harm reduction workers should have adequate control over their work environments and responsibilities, considering the realities of the job.

• We support the struggle to end unnecessary hierarchical social structures, including those in harm reduction workplaces.

• We believe in humble leadership where necessary.

• We acknowledge that oppression affects individuals in the workplace. We are committed to equity and inclusion in harm-reduction environments and to shifting power and resources to those most affected by structural violence and discriminatory drug policies.

• We commit to fostering a healthy organization and acknowledge that we share equal responsibility for and accountability to it.

• We affirm that individually and as an organization, we will work together with authenticity, humor, compassion, creativity, transparency, and critical thought to achieve our principles, goals, and mission.