The 4-C’s of harm reduction outreach were originally the 3–Cs, and were developed by Christian Crump, then of John the XXIII syringe access in Salinas, California, and later modified to include the 4th by Catherine Swanson and Roxanne Butterfield:
- Compassion—You wouldn’t be doing this work if you didn’t have it.
- Commitment—Make sure you have it and make sure you give it.
- Consistency—Times, services, supplies, location.
- Clarity—Understand what you are doing and why.
- Compassion—As with everything in harm reduction, it’s critical that people be treated with compassion in harm reduction spaces. We’re all imperfect beings trying our best and we all deserve a little grace as we do so.
- Consistency—Consistency is comprised of two practices: first, when services are provided, it’s extremely important that you make a commitment to providing services and do so when you say you’re going to. This builds credibility among people who depend on your services. Secondly, you must be consistent about the systems of services themselves. One of the biggest flashpoints harm reduction leaders consistently identified was discoordinate treatment of participants regarding services. Do not play favorites. Do not break rules inconsistently. Never let yourself be in a position of being accused of favoritism.
- Commitment—In essence, this is a longer-term version of consistency. Long-term harm reduction leaders will tell you that your commitment to a community will be rewarded tenfold if things escalate.
- Clarity—Clarity in this case refers to clarity of purpose. Everyone in the organization should be clear on the mission and values of the organization and be dedicated to them. It may sound irrelevant, but clarity about that mission can remove concerns staff may have about extraneous issues having nothing to do with their work
Featured Hacks
These featured hacks highlight creative, practical solutions from harm reduction leaders on the ground. From DIY tools to clever workarounds, each one reflects the ingenuity, care, and real-world experience that keeps this movement alive.
Hacks for Staying Present
Featured in: Featured, De-Escalation In the Moment
As discussed in the part of the site on preventing escalation, it is essential for harm reduction workers to stay present and remain centered and relatively calm during escalated events. This is one of the hardest things to do, but staying present and centered during any kind of escalated situation at your harm reduction site is essential to de-escalation.
Creating and Defining Community
Featured in: Featured, Hacks for Preventing Escalation
Over and over, harm reduction leaders interviewed for Space Hacks centered the creation of community as central to their efforts to create safe, humane harm reduction spaces services that are trauma-informed and minimize the potential for escalated situations.