October 31st, 2022
The United States is currently embroiled in an unprecedented spike in substance use and overdose cases, exacerbated in part by the international pandemic. Keeping in line with Clarity Clinic’s approach to providing holistic and compassionate care to everyone who comes in our doors, we have assembled an infographic that highlights essential items to incorporate into harm reduction kits.
The harm reduction approach to substance use emphasizes accessibility and humility towards people who use drugs. According to the National Harm Reduction Coalition, this approach incorporates a spectrum of strategies that includes safer use, managed use, abstinence, meeting people who use drugs “where they’re at,” and addressing conditions of use along with the use itself. Harm reduction services and tools include free syringe and injection equipment, overdose prevention sites, fentanyl testing strips, Narcan/Naloxone kits and training, and non-abstinence-based housing and employment initiatives.
Overall, the goals of harm reduction include keeping people who use drugs alive and protecting their health, reducing the harm of drug laws and policies, and offering alternatives to approaches that seek to prevent or end drug use. Harm reduction kits are meant to provide essential hygienic supplies to lower the risk of intravenous diseases and offer a significantly safer means of injection or administration.
Read more about the contents of a basic harm reduction kit in the infographic above.
If you would like to know more about substance use recovery services, please visit our addiction services page or our Early Recovery Support Group page.
Harm Reduction Kit InfographicDownload
At Clarity Clinic, we have highly trained staff who specialize in therapy and psychiatry services. To learn more about how we can support your mental health, call Clarity Clinic at (312) 815-9660 or schedule an appointment today.
