ESHRII
Emergency Shelter Harm Reduction Integration Initiative (ESHRII)
ESHRII supports emergency shelters and shelter-adjacent programs to respond safely, compassionately, and effectively to substance use and overdose in shelter settings.
Funded by the Region of Waterloo, ESHRII is a partnership between Sanguen Health Centre and THRIVE (formerly ACCKWA). Together, we work to reduce harm, improve health outcomes, and increase safety for shelter residents, staff, and the broader community.
Why ESHRII Matters
Substance use and overdose are realities in emergency shelter settings. Without the right tools, training, and support, these realities can lead to preventable harms for shelter residents, staff, and systems as a whole.
ESHRII exists to help shelters answer a critical question: How can we support people who use substances in ways that reduce harm, improve health, and strengthen shelter safety for everyone?
Our work recognizes that people who use substances—and who are often excluded from traditional healthcare—deserve dignity, care, and evidence-based support.
What We Do
ESHRII provides low-barrier, harm reduction education and capacity building tailored specifically to shelter environments. Our team works directly with:
- Shelter staff and leadership
- Shelter residents and participants
- Shelter-adjacent and community service providers
Education focuses on practical, real-world strategies that reflect what’s actually happening in shelters—not theory or scare tactics.
Our Team & Approach
ESHRII is delivered by an interdisciplinary team that includes:
- A Clinical Educator
- A Social Worker
- Harm Reduction Educators with lived and living experience related to substance use, poverty, mental health, and shelter systems
This blend of clinical expertise and lived experience ensures training is credible, compassionate, and grounded in reality.
Education is a core part of harm reduction. A key part of our work is helping people understand why people who use drugs matter, and why supporting them strengthens communities as a whole.
Impact
ESHRII helps shelters:
- Reduce overdose risk and negative health outcomes
- Improve confidence and capacity among staff
- Increase safety for residents and workers
- Strengthen connections to healthcare and community supports
- Reduce strain on emergency and healthcare systems
By embedding harm reduction into shelter systems, ESHRII supports better outcomes for individuals while contributing to broader community safety and cost reduction.
SSHI is in partnership with Porchlight, House of Friendship, and Camino.
