Harm Reduction Information

Presented by the Department of Mental Health & Counseling Services

Date: Wednesday, March 12, 2025, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Location: David Swope Student Center, table in the cafeteria – SUNY Westchester Valhalla

The Department of Mental Health & Counseling Services is committed to educating the community on substance use and other harm reduction topics, as well as strategies for reducing harm reduction. The Westchester County Department of Health will be tabling to provide information on County wide efforts to promote harm reduction.

For more information, contact MentalHealthServices@sunywcc.edu.

What is Harm Reduction?

Harm reduction is a practical and transformative approach that incorporates community-driven public health strategies — including prevention, risk reduction, and health promotion — to empower people who use drugs (and their families) with the choice to live healthy, self-directed, and purpose-filled lives. Harm reduction centers the lived and living experience of people who use drugs, especially those in underserved communities, in these strategies and the practices that flow from them.

Harm reduction emphasizes engaging directly with people who use drugs to prevent overdose and infectious disease transmission; improve physical, mental, and social wellbeing; and offer low barrier options for accessing health care services, including substance use and mental health disorder treatment.

This information is from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Learn more on the SAMHSA website.