Series - Editorial Fellowship: Community Transitions and Resilience

Unconditionally safe: how the drug using community helps each other when healthcare services fail

Author Neha Chollangi
While housing shelters and other care services neglect drug users in need, the non-judgmental support within the drug-using community is a vital lifeline

Why It Matters

From 2016 to 2021, Canada saw around 26,690 apparent opioid toxicity deaths. Without recognizing the power of peer support and non-judgement, many social service and community intervention organizations may be relying on outdated and colonial methods of doing their life-saving work.

var TRINITY_TTS_WP_CONFIG = {"cleanText":"Unconditionally safe: how the drug using community helps each other when healthcare services fail. This journalism is made possible by the Future of Good editorial fellowship on community resilience, supported by Co-operators. See our editorial ethics and standards here .\u00a0 Content warning: This story mentions drug addiction. In the heart of Boston, between warehouses and industrial parks, lies the Mass and Cass neighbourhood. Often seen as a drab area by most locals, Brendan Little describes it as a place that \u201cwasn\u2019t designed for people to be there.\u201d And yet, it\u2019s become and continues to be home to a strong community of people who live in encampments, and many of whom use drugs.\u00a0 When Little was growing up in Boston, in

Join a community of 2000+ impact-oriented professionals like you. Get full access to this story and all Future of Good content, including tickets to our digital events and networking, with a membership.