Physician-Led Harm Reduction 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐁𝐞 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐨 𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐬

Fliers went out in the past few days to nearby neighborhoods, and many have asked us about the new program. Here's what we know so far:

NVHRC is partnering with physicians as well as behavioral health, social workers, case managers, and specialists in addiction and recovery to address the scourge of addiction in Chico.

NVHRC has obtained a building on Park Avenue for services, thankfully giving patients a safe and private place to address issues. (The spectacle and public shaming that has occurred at the Humboldt Park location has probably done more to prevent addicts from engaging and receiving services than any other single factor. 😡)

Because this is a medically-supervised treatment, it is not something the city council can just vote to eliminate. (Something the council has likely known would be the case all along, they were just grandstanding when they pretended they could eliminate harm reduction programs. If they didn't know this, they are even more incompetent than we suspected.)

This initiative comes at a particularly critical time for our community. Overdoses have skyrocketed in recent months, nearly doubling compared to the same time period in the previous two years. (See graph below) Easy access to medical treatments like Naloxone saves lives, as does regular access to medical and addiction specialists.

NVHRC is actively addressing concerns about syringe waste, and can be reached to pick up found syringes, as well as to answer questions through a variety of means.

Harm Reduction reduces the spread of disease and keeps our entire community safer. It can be done effectively and with respect for the community and the environment.

It's time for us to have rational, evidence-based discussions about harm reduction. It's time to take a breath, set aside fear and anger, and dig in to how we can all feel (and be) safer in the community.

Got questions? The best resource is to ask NVHRC directly - we are not affiliated with them and don't claim to have all the answers. We will also keep you updated as we learn more.