Harm Reduction Essentials: Substance Use, Community Support, and Strategies to Reduce Risk for Informed and Compassionate Practice

Bronte SG and Joey Violante are Substance Use Counsellors with the YMCA’s Youth Substance Use Program (YSAP) and members of the HSJCC. YSAP is a harm reduction, community-based program offering services to young people, 14-24, who use substances. YSAP offers individual counselling, harm reduction supply distribution, group based supports as well as educational workshops for youth, service providers and the community on substance use and harm reduction. YSAP’s services and supports are available across the GTA including downtown Toronto, North York, Scarborough, Mississauga and Brampton/Caledon.  To learn more about YSAP please visit: https://www.ymcagta.org/youth-programs/ysap  Join us to explore substance use and substances in the current supply, risks and harm reduction strategies for safer use, community resources and supporting folks/young people who use substances. 

Learning Objectives:

• Explore harm reduction principles and their application in various settings
• Learning around the classification and impact of various substances, signs of overdose, and strategies to reduce risk
• Explore the ways service providers can support people who use substances; including impact of stigma and language, reducing barriers to support, and available community resources. Discussion around substance use trends, statistics, and current supply alerts.