Harm Reduction Education
Because Staying Alive Is Always the First Step in Recovery
At Metro Recovery Center, we believe that everyone deserves care—not just those who are “ready” to stop using.
Many of our clients come to us still actively using opioids, stimulants, or alcohol. Some feel ambivalent about change. Others have tried quitting more times than they can count. What they all have in common is this.
They want to feel safe. They want to feel heard. And they want to stop being punished for struggling.
Our Harm Reduction Education services are designed to meet people exactly where they are—offering life-saving tools, judgment-free support, and the space to take meaningful steps forward, one decision at a time.
What Is Harm Reduction
- Reduce the risk of overdose
- Lower the chances of infections like HIV or Hepatitis C
- Prevent dangerous drug interactions
- Improve health and safety for people who use substances
- Promote engagement in healthcare and social services
- Foster readiness for future change—when and if the person chooses it
What MRC’s Harm Reduction Services Include
Harm reduction is a clinically backed, public health approach that focuses on minimizing the risks associated with drug or alcohol use—without requiring immediate abstinence.
Overdose Prevention Education
We teach clients how to recognize the signs of opioid overdose and how to respond safely—including how to use naloxone (Narcan) to reverse an overdose.
Fentanyl Test Strip Access
With today’s drug supply increasingly contaminated, we equip clients with test strips to identify fentanyl in other substances—empowering them to make safer decisions.
Safer Use Counseling
We provide private, respectful education on strategies for reducing harm while still using—including timing, dosage, cleanliness, and mixing risks.
Nonjudgmental Mental Health & Substance Use Support
You don’t have to be clean to talk to a counselor. We support you emotionally, even during active use—because your mental health matters, too.
Linkage to Community Resources
We connect clients to trusted providers of HIV/HCV testing, syringe access, wound care, and other essential services—while offering continued support within our own programs.
Goal-Oriented Care Planning
We help clients set realistic, values-based goals: using less, staying safer, or preparing for change. We don’t push. We partner.
Who Harm Reduction Is For
- Clients who are currently using opioids, stimulants, alcohol, or other substances
- People who have relapsed and are afraid to re-enter abstinence-based treatment
- Individuals who don’t believe in “rock bottom”—they want support before it gets worse
- MAT clients who may still be using intermittently
- Justice-involved clients, parents, professionals—anyone seeking help without being judged
What Sets MRC Apart in Harm Reduction Care
- We normalize ambivalence—we don’t shame it.
- We understand that readiness happens in stages
- We focus on reducing harm, not enforcing rules
- We train all staff in trauma-informed engagement so every interaction is safe
- We treat you with the same compassion on Day 1—no matter what Day 1 looks like
