our Community Agreements
Please carefully read through this page before committing as a member of IHRRC.
Once you have read these agreements, scroll to the bottom of the page to join as a member.
Community Agreements were created by our members in 2025 via our Coalition Survey and subsequent feedback sessions. If you have any questions regarding these agreements, please contact illinoisharmreduction@gmail.com.
OUr values
Why we're here
These are our shared beliefs—the foundation for how we show up together.
We are committed to harm reduction (see Harm Reduction Coalition Principles, SAMHSA as of 7/2025) as a community led, life enabling, stigma reducing, and dignity affirming approach for people who use drugs and other substances.
We aim to prioritize the voices and leadership of people with lived experience/expertise (PLE) and ensure participation, promotion of funding opportunities, and support to the organizations led by PLE.
We understand harm reduction is intersectional—interconnected with other justice movements (racial, economic, gender, disability, etc.)—and thrives when we act with solidarity across them.
We value transparency, empathy, accountability, and lifelong learning in our work and relationships.
Agreements
What we commit to
These are shared commitments we make to each other to build a functional, supportive, and principled community.
We agree that harm reduction is a humane and evidence based alternative to abstinence only models.
We agree to support and learn from people with lived/living experience/expertise.
We agree to approach disagreements with curiosity, humility, and a willingness to learn.
We agree to contribute to the level we are able, while maintaining continuity and clear communication.
We agree to protect confidentiality and respect communication boundaries.
We agree to uphold digital meeting norms and accessibility practices.
We agree to work toward healing harm using principles of transformative and restorative justice.
We agree to strive for transparency and mutual accountability.
Actions
How it shows up
These are the specific behaviors, expectations, and practices we follow to live out our values and agreements.
Participation & Accountability
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Organizations are asked to delegate staff members (can be rotating staff) to attempt to attend 50% or more of monthly Coalition meetings per year.
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If you no longer wish to be a member, or if your organization is not able to participate at this level, please notify us.
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Be involved to the level you’re able—your energy, time, and capacity are respected.
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Membership requires a clear “yes” to this question: Are you committed to ending the harms caused by punitive treatment models and uphold harm reduction?
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Approaches to harm reduction & recovery—methods, strategies, and timelines—may differ, but our shared mission and vision remains.
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Our coalition spaces are often sanctuaries for peers doing the frontline work of harm reduction—often under threat of arrest, surveillance, or deportation. Inviting everyone in without discernment dilutes the trust we hope to continue building. Instead, we must ask for commitment of our core values from each prospective ally: abolition of punitive systems, centering lived and living experience, and unwavering commitment to bodily autonomy. This isn’t gatekeeping for exclusivity’s sake; it’s a profound gesture of care, ensuring every voice in the room honors our shared struggle
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Communication & Confidentiality
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Maintain confidentiality of sensitive information shared in meetings.
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Stay on mute unless speaking.
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Display pronouns and/or appear on camera as you feel comfortable.
Confidentiality & Accessibility
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Membership is free for all - we do ask that those in a place of financial stability kindly consider making a recurring monthly donation.
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Our meetings are presented in English with Zoom auto-captions enabled.
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Please make sure to explain any acronyms you may use when presenting/making comments in a meeting. (i.e. Illinois Harm Reduction & Recovery Coalition instead of "IHRRC")
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No AI notetaking assistants will be allowed. If there is an accessibility need, a volunteer member will be assigned to notetake. This is for the safety of all our members.
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Meetings will not be recorded unless there is an accessibility need previously discussed with IHRRC staff and announced at the beginning of the meeting. Meeting recordings will no longer be sent out to all members.
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A volunteer member will be asked to take notes at the start of every meeting.
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All other access needs should be directed to illinoisharmreduction@gmail.com
Respect & Relational Practice
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Assume good faith and be open to hearing different perspectives.
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Practice empathy and multicultural understanding.
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Recognize we are all at different points in our learning.
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Humbly check your biases and judgments; avoid speaking over others.
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Don’t assume expertise—ask questions and welcome clarification.
Transparency
IHRRC commits to transparency regarding partnerships, finances, and goals—and asks the same of participants.
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Conflict of interests (COI): please announce your conflicts of interest (COI) in the chat when prompted to introduce yourself at the beginning of all IHRRC meetings (Monthly Coalition Meeting, Advocacy & Policy Working Group, other public meetings). COI do not mean a member or organization is barred from membership, however there may be moments where certain members with COI are asked to be put in a waiting room during a meeting, or not attend as requested by guest speakers. This is to encourage transparency and ensure the psychosocial safety of our most marginalized members, who historically may have been harmed by the following groups of professionals:
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Funders
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Pharmaceutical Representatives
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Law enforcement
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Government Officials
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Lobbyists
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Treatment Center Executive Staff
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Hospital Executive Staff
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Organizations who receive Opioid Settlement Funds who are not Syringe Service Providers/Programs (SSPs)
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Repair & Justice
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If harm occurs, acknowledge it and commit to repair—whether in meetings, communities, or your own life.
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Please refer to Mia Mingus’ overview of Transformative Justice to learn more about our shared approach.
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