Harm Reduction Services: Building Trust Through Authentic Outreach Melinda Ruger- Executive Director

Mission: "We have a genuine passion for promoting health and hope without limits for all people through harm reduction.”

Syringe Exchange HIV/HCV/STD testing Ryan White Case Management JVMC – Free medical clinic Risk Reduction Education & Counseling Overdose Prevention & Response Street Outreach Monday – Saturday various hours & locations across several cities

Streetside and Rural Services: Real Accessibility Naloxone Training (Overdose Response) Syringe Exchange & Disposal Condoms, Lube and Sexual Health Education Health & Risk Reduction Education Linkage and Referral to Medical, Shelter, Crisis Respite, Housing Resources, Medicaid Enrollment HIV/HCV Testing Survival Supply Distribution

Outreach : Removing Barriers & Meeting Folks Where They Are At: Principles and Values of Our Work Safety: For Our Team & The People We Serve Self-determination – non-coersive interactions and service provision Relationship Building : Longitudinal, establishing relationships with camps and communities. Deference and understanding of community norms IE. DO NOT bring uninvited guests, unnecessary attention or media Gatekeepers (Their “House”, their rules) (Our house, our rules) Right services for the right folks

RESPECT THE STRUGGLE: Empowering Community Listen For Community Expertise: Community Leadership Provide resources, referral Info and supplies To community leaders (secondary distribution and connections) Invite unhoused community to share about challenges, barriers and limitations of existing community resource systems they try to access Center voices of community members with lived experience of homelessness, marginalization, substance use, mental health challenges and history of oppression

Why Harm Reduction Programs Are Optimal To Reach Our Unhoused Community: Working at the intersections of marginalization Vulnerability factors for program participants Housing is Harm Reduction Competence and capability in working through issues connected to loss of housing Existing foundations of trust in the community & connections to unhoused folks that traditional providers and outreach have difficulty connecting with

For more information on Harm Reduction Services‘ programs contact Melinda Ruger : Executive Director melindahrs@gmail.com Harmreductionservices.org