In their fourth KBRP appearance, Executive Director Lu Funk described Cochise Harm Reduction’s work as “acknowledging that drug use is part of our society… and asking how we can reduce the risk and harm rather than punish people.” Explaining their preference for terms like “chaotic drug use” over “addict,” they told host Mike Thornton, “The word ‘addiction’ has a lot of stigma attached to it… reframing it as a chronic disease instead of a morality issue is part of dismantling stigma.” The two discussed the spectrum of drug use — from functional to chaotic — and Lu’s guiding “theory of change”: “If we can give people community and nourishment… a lot of the times people will start to improve because the root cause of their substance use often comes from not having those things.” They emphasized the public health and cost‑saving benefits of harm reduction, noting that preventing HIV or hepatitis C through clean syringes and naloxone is far less expensive than treating them.
Lu also detailed how CHR’s rural, mobile model addresses privacy concerns, transportation barriers, and resource gaps that brick‑and‑mortar sites cannot in small communities. Since their last visit to KBRP, the organization has grown to nine staff, expanded food distribution to over 17,000 mobile meals in one year, and earned strong buy‑in from most police chiefs in the county. “As providers, we hold the power… it’s our responsibility to bring services to the people, not the other way around,” Lu stressed, describing partnerships with law enforcement and the hiring of participants as staff. Reflecting on leadership’s toll, they admitted learning to set boundaries and accept unfinished to‑do lists, while affirming their mission: “Continuing to humble ourselves about what we don’t understand, and prioritizing the voices of the people most impacted… that’s how we move forward.”