Self-Paced #3: Harm Reduction and Beyond
Training Overview:
This comprehensive training program, facilitated by Claudia Figallo, MPH, LAADC, Manager of Substance Health Equity at the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, provides foundational knowledge in harm reduction philosophy and practical applications for working with people who use drugs. The training explores harm reduction as a client-centered approach that meets people “where they are at” to assist them in making choices that lead toward better health, emphasizing the introduction to substances, understanding of what harm reduction truly means within the context of cycles of change, and the critical framework of “drug, set, and setting.” This framework examines how the substance itself, the individual’s mindset and circumstances, and the physical and social environment all interact to influence drug experiences and outcomes.
Drawing from San Francisco’s official harm reduction policy established in 2000, the training addresses the urgent need to reduce adverse health effects for individuals, families, and communities through legal and compassionate interventions. Participants learn evidence-based strategies for overdose prevention, safer use practices, and stigma reduction while understanding the historical context of harm reduction in San Francisco’s response to the AIDS crisis and ongoing substance use challenges. The training incorporates content warnings acknowledging potentially difficult material and emphasizes self-care, reflecting the collaborative approach between the San Francisco Community Health Academy, San Francisco AIDS Foundation, and San Francisco Department of Public Health to support frontline workers in implementing non-judgmental, health-focused interventions.
Training Objectives:
By the end of this training, participants will be able to:
At the conclusion of this training, participants should be able to:
- Understand core harm reduction principles and philosophy as client-centered, non-judgmental health interventions
- Analyze the “drug, set, and setting” framework to assess how substance, individual factors, and environment influence outcomes
- Apply practical harm reduction strategies including overdose prevention, safer use education, and stigma reduction techniques
- Integrate harm reduction approaches with cycles of change theory to support individuals at different stages of readiness
- Develop skills for working effectively with people who use drugs while addressing systemic health inequities and barriers to care
Continuing education units (CEUs) are available thanks to the Center for Learning and Innovation (CLI) for the following disciplines:
- Certified Addiction Professionals (CCAPP)
- Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW)
- Licensed Educational Psychologists (LEP)
- Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFT)
- Licensed Professional Clinical Counselors (LPCC)
- Registered Nurses (RN)
Equity Statement
The San Francisco Department of Public Health is committed to leading with race and prioritizing Intersectionality, including sex, gender, sexual orientation, age, class, nationality, language, and ability. SFDPH strives to move forward on the continuum of becoming an anti-racist institution through dismantling racism, building, building solidarity among racial groups, and working towards becoming a Trauma-Informed/Trauma Healing Organization in partnership with staff, clients, communities, and our contractors. When attending, SFDP trainings, events, and/or meetings, we uphold expectations and standards of rules of engagement for our employees and contractors. We expect that all participants operate in professional integrity and adhere to the DPH Employee Code of Conduct or their employee conduct. Participants will be accountable for upholding any group agreements provided by the trainer or host and uphold principles of transparency, confidentiality and respect. We support respectful participation across intersecting identities and experiences including race, ethnicity, sex, gender, sexual orientation, age, class, nationality, religion, language, physical and mental ability, and political ideology. While we strive to make an space of inclusivity, belonging, and hub for various perspective, we do not tolerate any inappropriate behavior or comments rooted in anti-blackness, homophobia, transphobia, xenophobia, sexism, or any comments or behavior that is discriminatory, disruptive, or divisive. If participants cannot abide by these expectations, they will be removed from the training or event and will not be allowed to attend any additional DPH trainings, event, and/or meetings. Trainers have been informed to notify DPH of any misconduct and a DPH representative will follow up with that employee’s supervisor or participant’s agency regarding the misconduct.
