Harm Reduction in Substance Use

Course overview

For decades, complete abstinence from alcohol and other substances has been the basis of treatment for substance use disorders in the U.S. Though many treatment professionals strongly believe that full recovery requires total abstinence, many people in recovery never completely stop using, which holds the concept of recovery to an unattainable standard. Other professionals believe that while abstinence is a worthy goal, a harm reduction approach can prevent deaths and keep people alive and healthier in cases when total abstinence has not worked. In fact, harm reduction has been shown to be effective in preventing overdoses and saving lives. In this course, you will learn that harm reduction asserts that to treat substance use disorder effectively, multiple options must be considered. You also will learn that treatment needs for persons who are not ready to become completely abstinent should be considered and provided. Using interactive exercises and relevant case examples, you will have the opportunity to apply your acquired knowledge so that you can use it when needed in your own setting. After completing this course, you will have the skills needed to effectively employ a harm reduction model. The goal of this course is to provide addictions, behavioral health counseling, marriage and family therapy, nursing, psychology, and social work professionals in health and human services with information on harm reduction strategies for substance use.