C4 Innovations

Community & Behavioral Health | Recovery | Social Change

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Recovery LIVE Virtual Event

Where's the Line: Defining Harm in Harm Reduction

June 23, 2021 from 2-3 pm ET

Harm reduction is an approach that aims to mitigate some of the more dangerous aspects of substance use such as disease transmission and overdose. To some, it is controversial. What is harm reduction? Why is it an increasingly viable option for providers and peer support workers? And what are the pros and cons? Learn the difference between stigma and discrimination and explore the concept of recovery in the context of harm reduction and active substance use.

Please join us as we discuss these issues and more with three national peer experts implementing harm reduction strategies. Our presenters will discuss experiences and approaches, share resources, and facilitate discussion.

Presenters:

  • Yarelix Estrada, City Research Scientist, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
  • Shannon Knox, Director of Training and Education for Community Health Project, Los Angeles
  • Donald McDonald, Chief Recovery Officer, All Sober

Moderator:

Register for June 23 Event

Registration closes 60 minutes before the event start time.

Questions

If you have any questions, please email us at recoverylive@c4innovates.com.

“The presenters were amazing, and I really appreciated the interactive nature of the webinar. I appreciated that the organizer attended to as many questions as possible.” –Recovery LIVE participant

“This was a great opportunity to learn and continue to grow. The presenters were knowledgeable and motivating.” –Recovery LIVE participant

“I love the information provided and look forward to many more presentations. They are enlightening and open my eyes to things I have never thought of.”  –Recovery LIVE participant

Resources

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About this Virtual Event

Recovery LIVE happens monthly. Check back here for future topics and recordings of previous events.
Register for June 23 Event

Presenter Bios: June 23

Yarelix Estrada, City Research Scientist, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, is a first-generation Central American, harm reduction researcher, and advocate. Yarelix conducts community-based substance use harm reduction outreach and research, primarily in BIPOC communities. She is also the director of the NYC Psychedelic Society and is on the Board of Directors of the Tennessee Recovery Alliance. She received her Master of Science in Public Health in Health Policy at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Shannon Knox, Director of Training and Education, Community Health Project, Los Angeles (CHPLA), is an advocate for drug policy reform in the United States and for promoting the knowledge gained through lived experience as a key proponent in the evolution of policy.  She is a peer advocate, having gained her expertise in substance use, harm reduction, and participant engagement through her own life experience as a peer to the populations CHPLA serves.

Donald McDonald, Chief Recovery Officer, All Sober, is a person thriving in recovery from severe mental and substance use disorders since 2004. All Sober is a startup, public benefit corporation that is creating a comprehensive, online recovery ecosystem due to launch this fall. Previously, Donald served as the National Field Director of Faces & Voices of Recovery, Executive Director of Addiction Professionals of North Carolina, and Director of Advocacy & Education at Recovery Communities of North Carolina. He has written and presented extensively on recovery advocacy, addressing stigma, and the intersection of harm reduction and recovery. Donald is a Licensed Clinical Addictions Specialist (LCAS) and Recovery Coach Professional (RCP) and holds a Master of Social Work from UNC-Chapel Hill.

Steven Samra, MPA, Senior Associate, C4 Innovations, has expertise and lived experience in substance use and mental health recovery, harm reduction approaches, promotion of lived experience as critical experiential knowledge, developing and leading peer advisory councils, peer leadership, cultural competence, criminal justice, and effective outreach and engagement for challenging populations. He serves in leadership capacities for multiple recovery, substance use, mental health, peer involvement, and homelessness-focused initiatives.