This month, we launched something we have been dreaming about at CHR for a long time. Thanks to funding from AZ Department of Health Services, we launched our Harm Reduction by Mail (HRBM) pilot program. HRBM was created for participants who live in the most rural parts of Cochise County, places where transportation is hard to come by, there are little to no services, and places that we usually can only outreach to once per month. With HRBM, our monthly participants can now get harm reduction supplies, medical supplies, and other essentials that CHR distributes safely and discreetly through the mail, which helps to bridge the gaps between our in-person visits.
Our HRBM program was designed and implemented as a collaborative project by CHR’s Outreach Team and CHR’s developer and behind the scenes data guru. We’ve ensured that the process is simple and accessible for participants: during our monthly outreach, participants can request exactly what they need using a paper order form that we bring them. From there, we package and mail supplies directly to them. The process is low-barrier, confidential, and built on trust. In our first three months, we’ve already sent out 54 packages across 4 zip codes! These boxes have served over 150 people who otherwise would have gone without, primarily in Willcox, rural outlying areas of Benson, and Elfrida.
The HRBM pilot program is currently funded through the end of 2025, but we’re hopeful that the program’s early impact will help us to secure long-term funding. Our future vision for the project will allow individuals who aren’t already connected to CHR’s services to request supplies off of CHR’s website. This will allow more communities and family members in Cochise County to have simple access to free harm reduction supplies.
For many of our participants, the HRBM packages are more than just essential supplies. They’re a reminder that we at CHR are paying attention, that their comfort and safety matter, and that support is still here even when distance and stigma make things harder. We will continue to listen, learn, and make adjustments as we go. What’s most clear to us so far is that reliable access changes things, especially in rural communities like ours where the barriers stack up so quickly. We’re hopeful and excited to keep growing this program and to continue proving that harm reduction is not only possible in the most rural areas, but that it’s necessary.