Welcome back to Fall 21! We begin this season with Prof. Kelly Szott. She  is a medical sociologist who uses qualitative methods to study drug use and addiction. Her current project focuses on opioid use and harm reduction responses in rural contexts. Her work comes out of a concern for the ways people who use drugs are treated by institutions entrusted to care for them. We discussed the concept of  Harm Reduction as well as the difference between a sociological and a psychological perspective towards studying substance use.

Growing up in the Midwest,  Kelly had a lot of opportunities to learn during her work with at-risk young women on the street in Detroit where she was introduced to the concept of harm reduction.  While working in NY City as  a methadone counselor and then as a research assistant on a study of hepatitis C, she deepened her knowledge of the Harm reduction approach.

The definition of Harm Reduction? A philosophy of care, or a set of practices reducing the riskiness of the behavior. This doesn't just apply to drugs by the way. It can be applied to  seat belts, condom use in sexual situations and drinking alcohol. Kelly made it clear it is not saying “don't do it” . It  is saying if  you’re going to do it, then how  can it be done in a safer way?

We moved to discussing how drug use is seen and specifically,how are drug users treated by  the institutions that are supposed to  help them? There is the Sociological viewpoint, which involves looking at social patterns of substance use and its disparate impact on different communities. Consider this a  macro approach if you will. Compare this to the psychological  perspective- basically getting inside the heads of users-looking for the why? 

There has been a big change  in public perception and  viewpoints. These attitudes range from a proposal  limiting EMT responses to opioid overdoses- 3 strikes and you are out, to supervised injection facilities in Vancouver.  Being the person to reverse an Overdose with narcan can be scary. It also raises emotional questions. This became clearer when she shares the experience of a student's boyfriend overdosing on Fentanyl. 

We finish up with Kelly’s goals for future directions at SOU.  She hopes to get  a program started for students to be certified CADC II counselors. Oregon has the lowest number of treatment centers ranking  the state 47th Nationally. And for a big dream? Work with others to open a Harm Reduction Center in Medford.perhaps connecting it with student internships and research.