Stigma surrounding harm reduction often stems from a lack of understanding or knowledge. Dr. Adi Jaffe highlights several key harm reduction strategies to break down what it all means and how it works.
We’re Not Crazy For Doing This: Sex Workers With Mental Illness
I Died Six Times … Let’s End the Stigma of Harm Reduction (Video)
Safe injection sites and reducing the stigma of addiction
Harvard Professor and Physician, Dr. Scott G. Weiner, compares substance use disorders to other chronic illness to highlight the unjust stigma placed on addiction. Dr. Weiner discusses safe injection sites and harm reduction as a possible way to reduce stigma and provide proper healthcare to those suffering.
A Stigma Journey: From Abstinence to Harm Reduction (Original Article)
Sex Workers and the Harm Reduction Movement - Part Two
Sex Workers and the Harm Reduction Movement - Part One
Experts on Sex Worker rights and Harm Reduction weigh in on the similarities between the two movements and how they can best support each other in achieving shared goals. While not addressing stigma directly, this article serves to highlight how stigma has left many people out of the harm reduction conversation and why this topic of the month includes articles on both substance use and sex work.
Portugal's Answer to the War on Drugs
New Legislation - Mental Health Education in schools
When school health curriculum fails to address behavioral health, it further contributes to the feeling that a student’s mental health is not as important as their physical health. This article looks at new legislation proposals that would require mental health to be included in the larger health curriculum. This is vital in reducing stigma for students who wish to discuss their emotional well-being or seek treatment, and ensuring that they have a right to health without restrictions or shame.
Mental Health Days in Schools
Suicide is the third leading cause of death for ages 15-34 in the state of Maryland. In Maryland and across the nation, stigma around behavioral health has left many school policies lacking in how students are able to handle their emotional needs. This article from NPR highlights a proposed solution in Oregon extending excused absences for students that need to take sick days for mental health. Click the title for the full article from NPR.