Achieving Buy-in: Pitching Harm Reduction Services in Mental Health and Substance Use Treatment and Care Organizations

The National Council for Mental Wellbeing created this resource to serve as a guide for behavioral health staff who are hoping to implement harm reduction services at their organization, but who may be facing resistance from other team members.

This resource combines both peer-reviewed evidence and case studies from behavioral health organizations that have implemented harm reduction services, to offer a comprehensive, peer-informed perspective on best practices for shifting staff perceptions around harm reduction. This guide represents the first step toward implementing harm reduction services at an organization: achieving team buy-in. It includes recommended resources to help shepherd organizations through the logistical steps to implement the services once this critical buy-in is in place.

This publication was supported by NASTAD and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $275,000, with 100% funded by CDC/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, CDC/HHS or the U.S. government.