WI Harm Reduction Needs Assessment and Conference

About

The term “harm reduction” refers to any approach or strategy designed to minimize the harmful consequences associated with a certain behavior, such as substance use, without necessarily targeting the behavior itself. Regarding opioid use disorder, stimulant use disorder, and overdose, and alcohol use disorder, harm reduction involves various evidence-based approaches shown to reduce negative health and social outcomes, primarily prevention of death from overdose.

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Aims

This project is WI Department of Health Services funded.

Project Purpose: To promote and provide an evidence-based and practice-informed programming and opportunities for advancing collaborative and innovative behavioral health education, capacity training, peer-to-peer learning, with professionals working in the substance use harm reduction field.
 
Overarching Goal: Develop and evaluate defined activities that are focused on reducing Overdoses in Wisconsin.
 
Program Objectives:

• Provide technical assistance and training opportunities, drawing on local, regional, and national academic and community resources.
• Lead the planning and implementation of an annual conference/summit targeting the needs of the harm reduction professionals and harm reduction grantees in Wisconsin.
• Participate in strategic partnerships and taskforces throughout the state to further address substance use in Wisconsin by connecting academic and community partners and resources together.
• Conduct a Harm Reduction Needs Assessment with Gap Analysis to inform community needs, training, and technical assistance needs throughout the state.

The first annual conference will be held  June 28-29, 2023 in Green Bay (The full event will be available virtually.)

Learn more and register at: www.wisconsinconnect.org/harmreduction.html

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Partners

Wisconsin Department of Health Services

Team

Principle Investigator 
Elizabeth Duthie, PhD

Project Team
Jessica Bizub
Bernestine Jeffers
David Frazer, MPH
​Kaija Zusevics, PhD