Description
April 22, 2025 | 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Location: Augusta Civic Center; Kennebec and Penobscot Room
76 Community Dr, Augusta, ME 04330
Description:
Harm Reduction is experiencing overdue recognition as a valuable set of principles for serving our most vulnerable community members. Such rapid growth has at times generated misconception, confusion, and strain related to the principles and practices of direct services providers working at the intersections of multiple sectors. This has also generated increased demand for those are positioned to offer well-informed training and support of those working across these service sectors. In this full day training we will offer instruction and technical assistance for community members who also seek to deliver trainings and support to direct services workforce who may benefit from applying harm reduction principles and practices.
Learning Objectives:
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- Review and Clarify the Principles of Harm Reduction
- Explore shared values of Harm Reduction, Recovery, and other service sectors
- Review effective strategies and tools used in harm reduction-focused trainings
- Engage in the training of a set of specific practices aimed at reducing the negative consequences of drug use
- Engage in “teach-back” sessions, receiving feedback and opportunity for reflection
This Session, potential future training sessions and Technical Assistance is provided by Reduce Harm, Inc. Please visit our website to view our backgrounds, Mission, and the work we do.
Presenters:
Mark Jenkins has been advancing harm reduction in Connecticut and beyond for three decades. He founded the Greater Hartford Harm Reduction Coalition to deliver services and supports for people who were not being served by traditional program structures and funds. GHHRC evolved to become the Connecticut Harm Reduction Alliance (CT-HRA), with services now covering roughly 50% of Connecticut. Reduce Harm, Inc. (RHI) is the natural third phase of this work, expanding efforts to support harm reduction programming across the country, with special emphasis on Black-led and rural programs. In recognition of Mark’s exceptional service leadership, he was recently honored with the Dan Bigg Memorial Award by the National Harm Reduction Coalition.
Van Asher has worked in SSPs in NYC since 1992. As a formerly unhoused drug user, Van’s passion lies in providing access to services for the drug-using community, as well as providing training those who serve them. In his career Van has run three SSP in the greater NY area. One in Midtown Manhattan, one in the South Bronx, and most recently one on NYC’s Lower East Side where his Harm Reduction journey began. Van has recently relocated to Oak Park, IL and is continuing his Harm Reduction work in the Midwest. He currently works as a harm reduction consultant, the Director of special Projects for the Puerto Rico Project, and is the Director of Policy and Advocacy for Chicago Street Med and with Reduce Harm Inc. In 2016 he came up with the Fentanyl Test Strip initiative, teaching people to use urine test strips to check their drugs, raise awareness, and reduce accidental overdose. He is widely recognized as a national trainer in the field of Harm Reduction.
Audience:
Prescribing Clinicians and their teams. Recovery Coaches; Peer Support Specialists; Community Health Workers and/or Harm Reduction Peer Navigators; Clinicians; Clinical team leads; Program directors, managers and coordinators; Case managers, and others working in community and/or clinical settings/relationships, and anyone committed to the aims of Harm Reduction.
Continuing Medical Education:
This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of the Hanley Center for Health Leadership and Education and CCSME. The Hanley Center for Health Leadership and Education is accredited by the Maine Medical Association Committee on Continuing Medical Education and Accreditation to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
The Hanley Center for Health Leadership and Education designates this regularly scheduled series for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit ™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
*Nurses and Nurse Practitioners will be awarded a certificate of participation with a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit ™.
Contact Hours
5.5 contact hours for social workers, licensed clinical professional counselors, and behavioral health professionals.
5.5 Category 1 Contact hours for psychologists. CCSME is a pre-approved sponsor and provider of Professional Education Activities for Psychologists.
5.5 contact hours for Alcohol and Drug Counselors pending approval by the Maine Board of Alcohol and Drug Counselors
5.5 contract hours CHES. CCSME is a designated provider of continuing education contact hours (CECH) in health education by the National Commission of Health Education Credentialing, Inc.
