County Spotlight: Despite challenges, Harm Reduction Health Center has positive impact
Published 1:30 am Wednesday, April 22, 2026
By Mark Ozias
There is much focus right now on our county’s unhoused population and what can be done to improve conditions, and it is important that this conversation be grounded in some of the drivers that lead to homelessness and substance abuse because they help to inform our approach.
Multiple “safety net” programs are being cut and/or severely curtailed by Congress. The so-called “Big Beautiful Bill” will force an estimated 10-12 million people across the country to lose Medicaid coverage. SNAP benefits are being cut by an estimated $295 billion over the next 10 years. The Congressional Budget Office estimated that about 2.2 million people will lose heath care coverage in 2026 alone due to the expiration of enhanced health insurance subsidies.
Additionally, we have seen the termination or reduction of auxiliary food programs, the cancellation of $1 billion in food assistance for schools and services, and a reduction of 20,000 HHS staff that focused on public health, aging and disability services and community programs. President Trump’s current budget proposal only cuts deeper, eliminating the Community Service and Community Development Block Grant programs which focus on housing, health, employment supports and community development and reducing homeless assistance grant funding.
At the same time the cost of living and of housing in our county continues to climb. Local governments can and are doing a variety of things to lower the cost of (and hopefully help attract) private development including investing in infrastructure like sewer and water capacity and adopting more flexible development standards, but the landscape for broad housing development in our county remains challenging. Publicly-funded housing projects are vital but take many years and multiple funding sources to be realized and they come at a high cost due to prevailing wage and building requirements.
It should not be a surprise that the largest cuts to the social safety net in decades, coupled with high housing prices, have consequences. Homelessness is pervasive in Clallam County and across the nation, and while the majority of our unhoused population are of working age we continue to see a growing number of senior citizens who need support.
This is the context for our Harm Reduction Health Center, which provides a variety of services and supports that are especially important to our unhoused population. While the efficacy of harm reduction at the “population/public health” level is well-grounded and supported by ample data, I most appreciate the personal impacts of this approach.
A Harm Reduction Health Center staff member recently shared: “Someone I had not seen in some time approached the supply counter to reconnect. She reported that she is currently sober, actively managing her mental health, and is scheduled to move into her own apartment next week. She stated that she likely will not be returning to access services, as she feels stable and believes resources should be prioritized for others in need. She expressed deep gratitude for the program and shared appreciation for the support she received over the past two years. She specifically described staff as a consistent source of support and the interaction concluded with a hug.”
Another participant who currently lives out of the area wanted Harm Reduction staff to know how much we mean to her and that she will not forget all that the team has done for her. A third participant who is working while living in the overnight shelter (more common than you might imagine!) comes in for hygiene supplies and shared that she appreciates knowing that we are “always there for her.”
While statistics show that we are successfully reducing overdose deaths and proactively addressing public health and communicable disease transmission, these stories demonstrate the positive change and personal human impact that comes from taking the time to build consistent, trust-based interactions as happens at the Harm Reduction Health Center.
While we can’t guarantee an individual outcome, we can employ a proven approach that engenders appreciation, gratitude and human connection while working toward an individual’s success.
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Mark Ozias is Clallam County commissioner for District 1.
