More episodes from Connecting Care
Feb 15, 2023
Harm Reduction Housing Part II: Meeting People Where They Are
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Sep 28, 2022
Harm Reduction Housing: Meeting People Where They Are
Access to safe and reliable housing has an enormous influence on a person’s health outcomes and ability to meet their needs. However, structural inequities and discriminatory practices associated with substance use can prevent or deter many people who use drugs from participating in formal housing programs and compound the lack of affordable housing.
This month, the BMC team asks Dr. Karim Khan about his experience practicing street medicine and providing care at a local harm reduction housing program. In this episode, you learn about Karim's belief in this model of care for meeting people’s diverse needs; the challenges in and successes of this approach to care; and the multitude of considerations that providers and people navigate when providing and accessing harm reduction housing services.
“I think that public health departments and cities and policy makers are really central to this and really instrumental and can change an approach from basically throwing people in jail and throwing law enforcement at homeless tent encampments to refocusing and trying to get people into treatment, into housing, into health care, and provide folks with their basic needs.” -Dr. Karim Khan
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Jul 27, 2022
Caring for People Living in Open Drug Scene Encampments: Challenges and Opportunities
A collision of drug criminalization, inadequate and discriminatory housing policies, and insufficient mental health and substance use care services has fostered open drug scene encampments in communities around the world. Open drug scene encampments concentrate social, medical, and public health challenges that include HIV transmission and opioid overdose. This month, the Boston Medical Center team talked with Dr. Jessie Gaeta, a national expert who has been a primary care and addiction medicine physician at the Boston Healthcare for the Homeless Program since 2002. Their conversation touches on some of the factors that contribute to the establishment and growth of encampments; how best to talk and ask about housing status; and helpful and harmful approaches to open drug scene encampments and the people who live there.
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