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Harm Reduction Trainings

Welcome, community of learners!

During 2021, the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC) hosted virtual sessions that covered different topics related to harm reduction, presented by Alaska-based speakers.

The training recordings are available to anyone interested in learning more about harm reduction and strengthening harm reduction resources and practices in their community.
These trainings will be of particular value to:

  • Rural providers, physicians, pharmacists, public health nurses, behavioral health aides (BHAs), community health aides (CHAs), addiction professionals, social workers, mental health care counselors/providers and sexual health care providers
  • Syringe-access program workers
  • Homeless outreach coordinators
  • Emergency responders
  • Corrections counselors/providers
  • Public health specialists
  • Community partners and other helping professionals

Below are the topics, speakers and descriptions of each webinar, as well as a full video recording with closed captioning.

The goal of these trainings was to support, inspire and learn from one another to increase the well-being of individuals in our communities.

What is harm reduction?

Harm reduction is a set of strategies designed to provide people access to a life with reduced risk from harm. For example, if people engage in activities with risk factors, access to certain tools help them stay safer, rather than put in further danger. Some of these tools involve policy change, some involve prevention services, others include intervention services and others are based in community involvement.

In recent years, the term ‘harm reduction’ has been adapted to include the advocacy for the rights of people who use substances (PWUS) to live a life free from additional risks related to substance use. Harm reduction acknowledges that abstinence from substance use is not always a realistic goal and involves helping people achieve goals based on their individual needs and circumstances Visit our Harm Reduction page to learn more.

Harm reduction trainings

During 2021, ANTHC hosted virtual sessions that covered different topics related to harm reduction, presented by Alaska-based experts. Below are the topics, speakers and descriptions of each webinar, as well as a full video recording with closed captioning.

Hosted January 20, 2021

Speakers

Learning Objectives

  • describe the epidemiology of HIV in Alaska
  • understand management of HIV
  • take a sexual history & provide HIV education as needed
  • understand resources available for HIV prevention, education and management

Related Resources

Hosted February 24, 2021

Speakers

Learning Objectives

  • the basic principles of harm reduction and harm reduction for people using drugs.
  • harm reduction supplies and resources for people who use drugs
  • how harm reduction practices can be implemented into a community
  • how to access / order harm reduction supplies and educational resources

Related Resources

  • PowerPoint slides
  • During the webinar, speakers and participants shared resources related to this session. Find a listing of those resources here.

Hosted March 24, 2021

Speakers

Learning Objectives

  • stigma and the shame cycle
  • alternatives to shame and the path to empathy
  • trauma informed care at an individual and organizational level
  • stigma from the viewpoint of a person with lived experience of addiction/active use/substance use disorder
  • what empathy looks like, from the viewpoint of a person with lived experience of addiction/active use/substance use disorder

Related Resources

  • PowerPoint slides
  • During the webinar, speakers and participants shared resources related to this session. Find a listing of those resources here.

Hosted April 20, 2021

Speakers

Learning Objectives

  • Alaska’s high incidence rates of homelessness and how this impacts the Alaska Native population
  • resources and the implementation of harm reduction services in Anchorage and throughout Alaska
  • adaptations to services for people with unstable housing conditions and harm reduction services during COVID-19
  • trauma-informed care, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) and the importance of harm reduction for people experiencing unstable housing conditions
  • how we can improve our services to the homeless community in Alaska

Related Resources

  • PowerPoint slides
  • During the webinar, speakers and participants shared resources related to this session. Find a listing of those resources here.

Hosted Sept. 1, 2021

Speakers

Learning Objectives

  • understand how opioids change brain structures.
  • understand how opioids change thinking.
  • understand the Advantages and disadvantages of AR in health education.
  • describe addiction medicine as harm reduction.
  • identify medication available for treating opioid, alcohol and tobacco use disorder.
  • review ANTHC resources providers working in the field of substance use.

Related Resources

  • PowerPoint slides
  • During the webinar, speakers and participants shared resources related to this session. Find a listing of those resources here.
ANTHC – iknowmine – Harm Reduction Training Series – Session 5

Hosted Oct. 6, 2021

Speakers

Learning Objectives

  • understand risk and protective factors
  • understand the importance of community involvement and trusted adults in prevention work
  • understand culturally relevant strategies to promote health and prevent substance use and misuse with Alaskan youth
  • review current youth-based resources available in Alaska and learn how to access them

Related Resources

ANTHC – iknowmine – Harm Reduction Training series – Session 6

Hosted Nov. 3, 2021

Speakers

Learning Objectives

  • understand trauma and the impact that it has on violence and substance misuse
  • learn about culturally relevant strategies and support services that are available or need to be made available, to best support the physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing of Alaska Native people
  • understand healthy relationships and the MMIWG crisis specific to Alaska Native women and girls
  • review domestic violence and substance misuse programs and services that support Alaska Native people
  • understand traditional values and teachings regarding trauma, violence, and substance use

Related Resources

ANTHC – iknowmine – Harm Reduction Training Series – Session 7

Hosted Dec. 1, 2021

Speakers

Learning Objectives

  • understand what polysubstance use is
  • understand the dangers of polysubstance use
  • understand strategies to support people who use more than one substance

Related Resources

ANTHC – iknowmine – Harm Reduction Training Series – Session 8

View the full playlist of Harm Reduction Training webinars on the ANTHC Learning Channel on YouTube.

The Harm Reduction Training Series has been funded at least in part with grant funds from the AmerisourceBergen Foundation (ABF), the Indian Health Service (IHS), and the National Council for Behavioral Health (NCBH). Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent official views of the ABF, HIS, NCBH, or ANTHC. No official support or endorsements by the ABF, IHS, NCBH or ANTHC for opinions expressed intended or should be inferred.