Join Seema Clifasefi, PhD, MSW; Associate Professor and Codirector of the Harm Reduction Research and Treatment (HaRRT) Center at the University of Washington-Harborview Medical Center for our February 2026 IAS Speaker Series event!

Talk title: "Meeting people where they’re at: Development and evaluation of individual and community-level harm reduction programs and interventions designed for and with people who have lived experience of homelessness and substance use problems"

Talk description: Substance-related harm disproportionately affects structurally marginalized communities, including people experiencing homelessness. Yet abstinence-only treatment models often fail to engage these communities or align with their goals. In this talk, Dr. Clifasefi will describe her community-engaged work with people who have lived and living experience of homelessness and substance use, illustrating how community-based participatory research (CBPR) methods can be used to co-create, implement, and evaluate harm-reduction–oriented interventions. She will highlight several programs developed with—rather than for—people experiencing homelessness and substance use disorders, demonstrating how collaborative, flexible approaches can reduce substance-related harm and promote health equity.