Malard Women's Night Shelter

Introduction

In order to provide treatment services and reduce harm among individuals affected by addiction to narcotic or psychoactive substances, licensed treatment and harm reduction centers across the country offer various services. One such initiative is the night shelter program. Night shelters are units that operate within the framework of other services accessible to the target population, though harm reduction is not their primary focus.

The term “harm” refers to direct or indirect health consequences resulting from high-risk behaviors. “High-risk behaviors” include a history of even a single instance of injecting drugs or engaging in sexual activity without using a condom. Since such behaviors can lead to the spread of HIV, the ultimate goal of harm reduction programs is to prevent HIV transmission by reducing high-risk behaviors associated with substance use disorders.