Educating Clinical Psych Students about Harm Reduction

University of Missouri–Kansas City

Project Years: 2023

Touro University is a NYC-based leader in healthcare education, and sponsors numerous webinars on topics relevant to their students and alumni. They also open these webinars up to others throughout the country who want to earn continuing education units (CEUs) for their participation. In spring of 2023, Touro University asked the Behavioral Health Excellence – Technical Assistance Center (BHE-TAC), based at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and of which the University of Missouri-Kansas City is a partner, if they could recommend someone who could deliver a virtual lecture about harm reduction, and BHE-TAC reached out to Facente Consulting.

In May 2023, Shelley Facente delivered a webinar called “Busting Myths and Building Understanding: Discussing Harm Reduction with Clients.” The goal of the lecture was to help attendees learn to define harm reduction and identify its principles, identify harm reduction strategies and myths, and, if relevant, understand ways to discuss harm reduction comfortably with clients. More than 150 people from around the country, many of whom were students in clinical psychology or social work, attended the lecture.