Michael, a 50-year-old man who lives and sleeps in his wheelchair on the streets of Los Angeles, has found a family in the organization’s Harm Reduction Center. Wellbeing Human Services at his clinic in East Los Angeles.
“I come every day because they give love and respect to everyone here. It’s like my home and like parents who don’t look at you differently because you’re battling your addictions,” says Michael, who reveals that since he arrived at the Harm Reduction Center he is using less drugs.
He admits that he would like to be clean of addictions to help others, but he knows that it is not easy for him.
He spent 22 years in prison, and suffers from schizophrenia, depression and bipolarity.
“I was addicted to heroin for 15 years. Now I use pot and methamphetamines because they calm me down, but I want to change. “I want to be like the others, to be substance-free.”
The Wellness Harm Reduction Center aims to save lives and protect the health of people who use drugs. For its operation, it receives funding from the city and county of Los Angeles as well as the state of California.
“We have been in East Los Angeles since August 2023. We distribute syringes and health materials, and we test people who use drugs for HIV, hepatitis C and syphilis to connect them with health services,” says Elly Jalayer , director of the Wellness Harm Reduction Center.
He says that also people experiencing homelessness or anyone from the community can visit this center to eat something, sleep, watch television, use the computer, use the bathroom or just sit for a while.
“We are not a shelter where they can stay overnight, but they can be here during the day as long as they want.”
Clarifies that the Center for Harm Reduction is not a space to use drugs but a space to give them tools to help them prevent an overdose.
“The experience has been very good during this year that we have been open. We have expanded. From having a small room, we now have a larger space, which has meant a radical change for us.”
He points out that the people they see do not have access to health services anywhere.
“We are often the first point of contact for those people. So it is very difficult to take them to their medical appointments and connect them with treatments for HIV, hepatitis C or syphilis.”
He adds that the vast majority of the population they serve lives with hepatitis C; while now they are observing individuals with syphilis and skin wounds.
Director Jalayer believes the Harm Reduction Center has helped people with addictions feel comfortable.
“They can sit here for a while, we talk to them, we build a relationship and then when they are ready, we will walk together.”
He says that it is not only homeless people who come to the Harm Reduction Center but also people who have a roof over their heads.
“What is unique about this Harm Reduction Center is the cultural competency. Our staff reflects the population of people we serve. We can offer all our services in both Spanish and English.”
He explains that most of the people they serve use drugs such as methamphetamines, opioids, heroin and fentanyl.
“We really try to provide them with syringes, smoking supplies and whatever they need to reduce overdoses and reduce the rate of infectious diseases.”
He mentions that there is a lot of stigma around drug use, especially within the Latino community.
“Before judging, I would invite you to come see what we do here. “We are like a family that helps connect many people with care, inpatient programs and medication-assisted treatment.”
He says if it weren’t for the work of these centers, some of these people would never have access to health care.
“Many people are isolated from their families because of their drug use. We welcome them and show them love and respect.”
He notes that when people feel seen and heard, they tend to reduce drug use by a large amount.
It also emphasizes that these people are dying from overdoses at alarming rates.
“One thing we do here is distribute Naloxone, which is an injectable medication or a nasal spray that people can use on another person who has an overdose to reverse it.”
But also – he says – that they teach those who take drugs to use narcan with others; and to family members so that if they see their child alone in the room and don’t know what to do, at least they have that medication and can save their life.
He points out that they not only distribute the syringes but collect them, encouraging people to bring their sharp objects back.
“We hand out small containers for people to fill and return.”
Estefania Valladolid works doing outreach for the Harm Reduction Center, and twice a week she goes to parks or rehabilitation centers, looking for homeless people who use drugs.
“We bring them syringes, hygiene equipment to treat wounds, strips to examine fentanyl, and we test the substances they use to see if it is really what they buy or if they are mixed with other things that can lead to an overdose or death” .
He assures that in four months, they have used the Narcan product that has allowed them to save the lives of people on public roads who have suffered overdoses.
“Without this work, there would be more deaths on the streets and more people at risk of contracting HIV, hepatitis and other health problems. We also connect them with mental health centers, general health centers and rehabilitation centers.”
And they clarify that they do all this without judging the lives of the participants, maintaining a respectful interaction.
Antonio “Cosmo”, a poet and university graduate of ethnic studies from Claremont University, is happy to be a volunteer at the Harm Reduction Center for two years.
“My dad and mom taught me to have a life of service and social justice.”
And it specifies that although Bienestar is an organization created to serve the LGBTQ+ community, the Harm Reduction Center is open to the entire population in general.
That is the case of Michael, who, without being part of the LGBTQ+ community, has found a home at the Harm Reduction Center in East Los Angeles.
The Wellness Harm Reduction Center is located at 5400 E Beverly Blvd. Los Angeles, CA. 90022. They are open from Monday to Friday. Hours in the area to rest and connect with others are from 11 am to 6:30 pm; and to provide health supplies it is from 10 am to 7:10 pm.