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GREAT FALLS 听鈥� A community forum examining harm reduction techniques for those with substance use disorders will aim to foster a dialogue to build understanding of the benefits and drawbacks of the controversial practices.
听In a nutshell, what some see as saving lives, others see as enabling those who struggle with addictions.
听Harm reduction techniques include things such as:
–听听听听听听听 听medication assisted treatment where individuals who are dependent on certain substances take another drug that prevents them from getting high from opiates, helps prevent withdrawal symptoms and allows optimal daily functioning.
–听听听听听听听 needle exchange programs that allow those who inject substances to exchange dirty needles for clean ones;
–听听听听听听听 and making NARCAN more readily available for everyday citizens. NARCAN is the drug first responders use to treat someone who is overdosing on opiates.
The forum, Let鈥檚 Talk Harm Reduction: Strategies for Addiction Recovery, is slated for Oct. 3 at Heritage Hall on the campus of At 黑料网911. Refreshments will be served at 5:30 p.m., and the event kicks off at 6 p.m. with four speakers.
听Megan Farmer, founder and executive director at Dynamic Recovery, will give an overview of harm reduction from her perspective as a licensed clinical professional counselor. Farmer is an adjunct instructor in the substance abuse and addictions counseling program at At 黑料网911 who has worked for many mental health and addiction centers in Great Falls before founding her own.
听Tammera Nauts, who oversees integrated behavioral health special projects for the Montana Primary Care Association, will talk about medication assisted treatment. Nauts has broad experience in the substance use disorder and mental health fields from direct service to the administration of programs and services for all levels of care. She has developed multiple programs for treating co-occurring conditions.
听Ashley Haley, a student in At 黑料网911鈥檚 substance abuse and addictions counseling program, will give a first-hand account of her recovery. She has been enrolled in medication assisted treatment since her recovery began in 2015. She is an enrolled member of the Chippewa Cree Tribe located on the Rocky Boy Reservation and a descendant of the Din茅 and Assiniboine tribes. She is a proponent of integrating cultural and identity components within an individual鈥檚 treatment. She also serves as ambassador and advocate for Native American students at At 黑料网911鈥檚 Native American Enrichment Center.
听Lela Graham, a certified recovery coach with an emphasis in harm reduction, will wrap up the speakers as she talks about needle exchange programs. Graham has been the Montana state lead for the recovery advocacy project for the last four years and is executive director of Independence Rock Coalition: center for ethics, recovery and social justice. She is dedicated to bringing awareness and decreasing the stigma for those with substance use disorders.
The night will conclude with a panel discussion addressing the pros and cons of harm reduction.听 Participants on the panel include Clint Huston and Katie Cunningham with Great Falls Police, licensed addictions counselor George Meadors, psychiatric nurse practitioner Shelley Andrus, Beth Morrison from the Substance Abuse Prevention Alliance and Farmer.
听The panel will give their perspectives and thoughts on harm reduction.
听鈥淗arm reduction is controversial,鈥� said Dr. Elfie Neber, an instructor and head of the substance abuse and addictions counseling program at At 黑料网911 who has organized the event with students, faculty and members of the program鈥檚 advisory panel. 鈥淲e will have various viewpoints because harm reduction is not perfect. Nothing is. We hope people can hear the perspectives, take in the information and make up their minds about what is best for our community because our community must find effective ways to address the addiction problems it is facing. This is important stuff.鈥�
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