Harm Reduction Services was established in 1993, to address the rise in HIV infection among injection drug users and sex workers by providing outreach and disease testing. Our organization is rooted in the concepts and practices of harm reduction. While drug use, infectious disease, and navigation of services continue to challenge families and individuals at a steadily growing rate, our services are reaching more people from all socio-economic backgrounds each day.
Our services include HIV/HCV/STD Testing, Ryan White Medical Case Management of HIV+ individuals, Safe Points Syringe Exchange, the Joan Viteri Memorial Free Clinic, Safer Supply distribution of condoms, lubrication, abscess care, and first aid supplies, nonprescription medications and referrals to other local services. Our Education, Response and Access program provides case management for substance users as they go into treatment. Our Opiate Overdose Prevention and Response training program has had over 3000 reversals since its inception in 2014. That's over 3000 times someone almost died but was saved with Naloxone dispensed from HRS. Our services are offered at our office location on Stockton Blvd. at 3rd Ave M-F noon-6pm.
In addition to office hours, client outreach is provided six days per week at homeless camps, parks, bars, entertainment venues, schools, and in individual homes for people who will not come in for services. Meeting people 'where they are at' opens the door for referring them to other services. HRS serves as the bridge between hidden populations and service providers' front doors. These populations include active substance users, homeless, sex workers, LGBTQ, mentally ill, and formerly incarcerated. Additionally, we have seen a steady increase in middle upper class Caucasian opiate using youth accessing our services.
Our number 1 goal is harm reduction. Harm reduction leads to an improved quality of health and life. Our goal is to ensure all people have the opportunity to take advantage of options available to them by reducing barriers to care and increasing access to better quality of care. We are consistent, transparent, and client centered. We do what we say and that gives us the ability to maintain a high level of street credit with the people we serve. We aim to continue to reach the places other service providers do not go, so that all people know their options. Our services have been directly related to the decrease in HIV infection rates among substance users in the Sacramento region. HRS provides training and education for other service providers and local university students. HRS is recognized in the community as expert in street outreach and connecting hard to reach clients to care.