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HARM REDUCTION . . .
u Accepts,
for better and for worse, that sometimes clients' behavior and
actions will be counterproductive and harmful to themselves and
others, and chooses to work to minimize these effects rather than
simply ignore or condemn them.
u Understands dysfunctional behavior as
a complex, multi-faceted phenomenon that encompasses a continuum of
behaviors from obvious to subtle, and acknowledges that some ways of
behaving are clearly safer than others.
u Establishes quality of individual and
community life and well-being--not necessarily cessation of all bad
behaviors--as the criteria for successful interventions and
policies.
u Calls for the non-judgmental,
non-coercive provision of services and resources to people who
struggle and the communities in which they live in order to assist
them in reducing harm.
u Ensures that consumers of services
and those with a history of being a consumer have a real voice in
the creation of programs and policies designed to serve them.
u Affirms consumers themselves as the
primary agents of reducing the harms of their behavior, and seeks to
empower them to share information and support each other in
strategies which meet their needs.
u Recognizes that the realities of
poverty, class, racism, social isolation, past trauma, sex-based
discrimination and other social inequalities affect both people's
vulnerability to and capacity for effectively dealing with
behavior-related harm.
u Does not attempt to minimize or
ignore the real and tragic harm and danger associated with
self-destructive behaviors.
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Harm Reduction and Gradualism are both philosophies that value
people, even struggling people, and allow them input into how they
can best be assisted. They are based on the value of acceptance
which is not merely tolerance but is true love for those who
struggle.
HOUSING FIRST
Housing First is a relatively recent innovation in human service
programs and social policy regarding treatment of the homeless.
Rather than moving homeless individuals through different "levels"
of housing, known as the Continuum of Care, whereby each level moves
them closer to "independent housing" (for example: from the streets
to an emergency shelter to a transitional housing program, and
from there to their own apartment in the community) Housing First
moves the homeless immediately from the streets or homeless shelters
into their own apartments.
My Father's House recognizes the many benefits of Housing First to
those we serve. Our future programming will focus on
programming with this philosophy in mind.
For more information on
Housing First, visit the website of the
National Alliance to End Homelessness.
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Our sister organization
Other sites of interest
maintained by
My Father's House
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