Housing First and Harm Reduction: Tools and Values
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The document discusses the 'Housing First' and harm reduction approach presented by Muriel Allart from SMES-B in Brussels, focusing on supporting homeless individuals with mental illness and drug use. It emphasizes the importance of a non-judgmental, client-centered strategy that enables tenants to make their own choices regarding drug use, aiming to reduce risks and improve overall health and self-esteem. Key outcomes include increased residential stability, destigmatization, and enhanced personal responsibility among tenants.
Housing First and Harm Reduction: Tools and Values
- 1. Presentation Title Speaker’s name Presentation title Speaker’s name Housing First & Harm reduction : Tools and Values Muriel Allart SMES-B Brussels, Belgium
- 2. Housing First Project of SMES-B SMES-B = Mental Health and Social Vulnerability intersectorial network Our HF Project : Fidelity to the Pathways to Housing model Target public : homeless people (Ethos 1&2) + mental illness + drug use Harm reduction Within the ACT team : - HR expert worker - peer - everybody trained on drug use related harms
- 3. Why is Harm reduction a core principle of the HF model ? Housing First = no conditions for access to Housing => no requirement for drug use (including alcohol) abstinence To reduce impact of consumption on housing stability + health => harm reduction approach related to drug use Harm Reduction is a public health strategy to prevent harm related to drug use Harm Reduction is not opposed to abstinence Tenant are supported in every choice they make
- 4. Harm Reduction for who ? ACTIVE DRUG USERS Aged between 25 and 65 years VARIOUS DRUGS AND DRUG USES - alcool, cannabis, speed, cocaïne, heroïne, pharmaceuticals… - ingestion, smoking, inhalation, sniff, injection Sometimes abstinent for one or more drug
- 5. Harm Reduction for what ? Classical risks related with drug use : • Health • Relationship • Justice • Financial + Specific risks related to housing : • Rent • Neighborhood • Loneliness
- 6. Harm Reduction: statements, tools & values STATEMENTS VALUES INTERVENTION TOOLS The concept of risk is relative Objective information and materials are not inciters A drug-free society doesn’t exist Do not judge drug Do not trivialize drug use Reach tenants where they are and respect their rhythm Give tenants the means to reduce risk Support their requests for abstinence or management of their consumption Encourage responsibility/participation Use WRAP Network ! Non-judgement Non-trivialization Drug user = citizen Empowerment Participation
- 7. Which results ? From a logic of survival to a long-term logic Residential stability => storing HR material + support w/ treatment Increase in self-esteem => Take care of themselves Round trips between abstinence and relapse but with increasing time of abstinence Cure and post-cure services used as such and not for shelter Possibility of management for some tenants Destigmatisation Improved sleep and food => reduce some health negative effect
- 8. Suggestions Work with experts Train your staff Develop and use specific tools Be patient ! Work in network Talk freely about drug use
- 9. Thank you ! Contact : Muriel Allart housingfirst@smes.be More Info : www.housingfirstbelgium.be www.housingfirstbrussels.be www.smes.be