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Christopher Grapes, Harford County Programs Supervisor
  1. What programs and services are offered through the Harford Community Recovery Center (HCRC)?

Our top thing is Peer Support for those engaging-in or searching for recovery. We support individuals in active, chaotic use through our harm reduction programs, supplying individuals with Safe-Use supplies (cookers, cottons, tourniquets, sterile water, alcohol prep pads), Wound-Care supplies (Band-Aids, gauze, Neosporin, sterile water), Safe Sex kits (condoms, lube, dental dams, internal condoms), fentanyl test strips, and most importantly, Narcan. 

While engaging individuals through Harm Reduction we put a “tether” around them, we meet them where they’re at and we don’t leave them there. Once they’re ready for help we will pull on that tether. Getting them to the recovery center allows us to provide that peer support, motivational interviewing, and informed care to help individuals make the best decision for themselves. 

We provide treatment coordination, shelter coordination, recovery house coordination, and so much more from our recovery center. We are a resource-broker that can help individuals suffering from Substance Use Disorder, or mental health disorders, and because we are peers, we are that much more equipped to help our people.

  1. What is the most impactful part of working in Harford County and what makes Harford unique?

The most impactful part is bringing the mission and vision of Voices of Hope to Harford County in order to provide a service unique. We are in the “trenches” meeting people where they’re at, and working to help get them to a better place. 

Within our first 6 months in Aberdeen, we worked together with other community providers to help numerous individuals that other service providers were not able to help. We were able to connect these individuals to resources and walk beside them through the process of recovery.

  1. What would you say is the biggest accomplishment thus far of our Harford County team?

I think our biggest accomplishment in the county is having other service providers and supporters of recovery, recognize the benefit we bring to the community, and their support of us along the way. This kind of support will not only help to erase the stigma associated with people who use drugs, but it shows the impact that we can make when we work together to instill Hope within our communities.