Harm Reduction Works
A Low-Threshold Mutual Aid Infrastructure
HRH413 developed Harm Reduction Works (HRW) in response to the massive community need for a harm reduction alternative to abstinence-only mutual aid groups. This model does not exist in opposition to abstinence. Harm reduction includes abstinence. HRW is for anyone who wants to explore how harm reduction can help them or the people they love regardless of their using or drinking history.
The Script
The script is a unifying document between and among groups. It creates a safe container to explore drug use, drinking and the systemic stigma attached to them.
From group to group the container remains the same but the contents adapt to the specific needs of the community. Open meetings welcome anyone. Focused meetings are reserved exclusively for people with a history of using or drinking.
The Exercises
Meetings are driven by 10 to 20 minute exercises chosen to spark discussion. These can be articles, podcasts, essays or guest speakers.
Consideration of what is happening in the room dictates the choice. Artistic pieces open emotional doors while advocacy topics build strategic focus. The exercise initiates the conversation but the group's immediate needs always dictate the direction.
The Host
The host is the only formalized position in an HRW meeting. They read the script and maintain the flow of the room.
The host is not a gatekeeper or a traditional leader. Their primary function is to participate and uphold the foundational principle of harm reduction: radical welcome. The best harm reduction interventions are invisible and facilitation should feel the same.
To The Founding Members
In March 2019 we started the first HRW meeting in Northampton, MA because the amount of pain in our community from overdose deaths was astonishing. There was no place to take that pain.
We wondered what might happen if we built a community based on respect, compassion and absolute reality. Your choice to show up created the room for us to dream together. By practicing harm reduction together you built the power necessary to grow this movement.
It is because of you that new people walking into our meetings say the exact same thing every single time: "Finally, I can tell the truth."
A Low-Threshold Infrastructure
HRH413 developed Harm Reduction Works (HRW) in response to a massive community need for a harm reduction alternative to abstinence-only mutual aid groups. This model is for anyone who wants to explore how harm reduction can help them or the people they love regardless of their using or drinking history.
Harm reduction does not oppose abstinence.
Because HRW is fully scripted and exercise-driven, you do not need to be a clinical expert to start a group. We are building power through collaboration. Discovering things together and sharing what we learn is how we empower communities to keep each other alive.
Why We Built This
At the first meeting in Northampton back in March 2019, it became brutally clear that the amount of pain in our community from overdose deaths was astonishing. Worse, there was no place to take that pain.
We initially thought HRW would simply fill the need for a different kind of support space. It took us a few weeks to realize we were actually building a harm reduction community from the ground up.
Harm Reduction Works is a low-threshold tool designed to build the movement. It creates space for people to learn together in community, process grief without judgment and build political and social power rooted in respect, kindness and absolute reality.
How To Start A Meeting
HRW is designed to be easily replicated. You simply follow the script.
The script accommodates two types of environments. Open Meetings are for anyone interested in learning about harm reduction. Focused Meetings are strictly for people who are currently using, have a history of using or are considering using. If your group is focused, you simply skip the open welcome and begin with the focused section.
While an individual can start a group solo, we strongly recommend collaborating with one to five people you respect. Building this with others fosters resilience and ensures that even if attendance is low in the early days, there is enough shared energy in the room to keep the work moving forward.
