Harm Reduction Action Center

What Harm Reduction Action Center does

Harm Reduction Action Center (HRAC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public health agency founded in 2002 and headquartered at 112 E. 8th Ave., Denver, Colorado. It is Colorado's largest public health agency dedicated specifically to serving people who inject drugs (PWID), with a fixed-site syringe access program operating Monday through Friday 9am-12pm, a mobile syringe access program serving high drug traffic areas three afternoons per week, a 911 partnership for on-demand syringe cleanup, and four 24/7 outdoor syringe disposal kiosks. Core services include sterile syringe distribution and disposal, naloxone distribution, fentanyl test strips, on-demand HIV/HCV/STI testing, wound and vein care, hygiene and food access, and referrals to mental health and substance use treatment.

HRAC's programming and advocacy are governed by a PWID Advisory Committee, and the organization supplements a seven-person paid staff with over 600 volunteers and 2-4 interns at any given time. Since launching its syringe access program in February 2012, HRAC has enrolled more than 12,000 participants, serves 125-180 people per morning, and has facilitated proper disposal of over 6 million used syringes. The organization is a leading harm reduction policy advocate in Colorado, having helped pass 15 policy initiatives (10 statewide, 5 citywide) over 13 years, including syringe decriminalization, 911 Good Samaritan Law expansions, naloxone standing orders, and Denver's Overdose Prevention Center ordinance.

The business model is donation-funded: HRAC charges no fees for services, relying entirely on tax-exempt donations, in-kind contributions via Amazon Wish List, and foundation grants (e.g., Caring for Denver Foundation, 2021). Additional technical assistance, tours, and training are provided to healthcare providers (Denver Health, UCH), law enforcement, criminal justice institutions, and medical/nursing/pharmacy students. HRAC's principal strategic pressure point is Denver's municipal ordinance (Sec. 24-157), which caps the number of syringe service programs at three and restricts them from operating within 1,000 feet of schools or daycares; HRAC is actively campaigning to repeal this restriction to scale fixed-site operations across the city.

Name

Harm Reduction Action Center

Legal name

Harm Reduction Action Center

Website

https://harmreductionactioncenter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Harm Reduction Action Center is a Denver-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2002 that provides syringe access, naloxone, testing, and harm reduction services to people who inject drugs through a fixed site, mobile outreach, and policy advocacy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Health Harm Reduction Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers (62142)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Substance Use Recovery & Harm Reduction Support Services (BPAGAEAO)

akta.pro secondary industry

Substance Use Disorder Prevention & Recovery Services (BPAGACAE)

Keywords

• Harm reduction services
• Syringe access program
• Overdose prevention
• Public health agency
• HIV and HCV testing

Headquarters

HQ city

Denver

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Tax-exempt donations: The organization relies entirely on charitable donations from the public. Tax-exempt donations are used to expand services, provide naloxone, supply safer injection and safer sex supplies, snacks, and maintain the drop-in center.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Harm Reduction Action Center provides free, direct harm reduction services to people who inject drugs (PWID) in Denver, including syringe access, naloxone distribution, fentanyl test strips, HIV/HCV/STI testing, wound and vein care, health education, street outreach, and referrals to mental health and substance use treatment. Services are delivered through a fixed-site location operating Monday through Friday 9am-12pm and a mobile syringe access program serving high drug-traffic areas three afternoons per week, complemented by on-demand syringe cleanup in partnership with 911, neighborhood clean-ups, policy advocacy, and technical assistance for healthcare providers and law enforcement.

Product overview

The Harm Reduction Action Center (HRAC) is Colorado's largest public health agency serving people who inject drugs (PWID), established in 2002. It is not a software technology company but a direct-service nonprofit providing a coordinated suite of harm reduction programs. The core offerings are: (1) a Fixed-Site Syringe Access Program at 112 E. 8th Ave., Denver, providing sterile syringes, naloxone, fentanyl test strips, HIV/HCV/STI testing, wound/vein care, hygiene products, food, and referrals; (2) a Mobile Syringe Access Program conducting outreach 3 afternoons per week; (3) an On-Demand Syringe Cleanup partnership with 911; (4) street outreach; (5) health education materials and zines in English and Spanish; (6) a PWID Advisory Committee-driven governance model; (7) policy/advocacy work at the statewide and city level; and (8) healthcare provider technical assistance and training. These services are integrated under a single nonprofit umbrella focused on reducing HIV, HCV, and overdose deaths among Denver's PWID population.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Syringe Access Program (Fixed Site) Fixed-site syringe exchange operating Monday through Friday from 9am-12pm at 112 E. 8th Ave., Denver, CO 80203, providing sterile syringes, naloxone, fentanyl test strips, HIV/HCV/STI testing, wound and vein care, hygiene products, food access, mail and phone access, and referrals to mental health and substance use treatment.
• Mobile Syringe Access Program Mobile syringe exchange conducted Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday afternoons, reaching high-drug-traffic areas and serving PWID participants unable to visit the fixed site.
• On-Demand Syringe Cleanup (911 Partnership) On-call syringe cleanup services across the Denver metro area in partnership with 911, disposing of improperly discarded syringes found in public spaces to protect public safety.
• Street Outreach Physically brings harm reduction resources directly to people who use drugs in their environments; conducts mobile syringe exchange and participant intakes to enroll PWID in public health services.
• Naloxone (Narcan) Distribution Naloxone and overdose prevention education provided to all enrolled participants; distribution post-incarceration at four Metro-County jails per 2015 legislation.
• Fentanyl Test Strips Distribution Fentanyl test strips provided to enrolled participants to test substances for the presence of fentanyl, reducing overdose risk.
• HIV/HCV/STI Testing On-demand testing for HIV, Hepatitis C, and sexually transmitted infections available to participants at the Denver fixed site.
• Health Education Classes and Zines Educational materials including zines on methamphetamines, benzodiazepines, and wound care, plus COVID-19 and person-first language infographics, available in English and Spanish.
• Healthcare Provider Technical Assistance Training, tours, and technical assistance for healthcare providers, law enforcement, criminal justice institutions, and medical/nursing/pharmacy students on harm reduction practices.
• Policy and Advocacy Initiatives Statewide and citywide harm reduction policy advocacy, including syringe decriminalization, Good Samaritan laws, naloxone expansion, and overdose prevention center authorization.
• Syringe Access Volunteer Program Volunteer-run access table providing sterile syringes and promoting services including Medicaid enrollment and Narcan training, operating Monday through Friday 9am to Noon.
• Volunteer Internship Program Unpaid seasonal internships offering direct service, data entry, community outreach, and policy experience; BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and people who use drugs are encouraged to apply.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 6,000,000 used syringes disposed of properly since 2012
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Local Medical Professionals / Denver and Aurora HospitalscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020In 2020, HRAC partnered with local medical professionals to develop and administer a survey of Emergency Department (ED) and inpatient clinicians at local hospitals in the Denver and Aurora area. The survey was also reviewed by the People Who Inject Drugs (PWID) Advisory Committee. The goal was to understand healthcare provider attitudes toward PWID to develop interventions improving quality of care.
• 911 Emergency ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHRAC partners with 911 to provide on-demand syringe cleanup efforts throughout the City of Denver. This partnership ensures proper disposal of syringes found in public spaces.
• Denver Department of Public Health and EnvironmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThree syringe exchanges operate in the city subject to the rules and regulations of the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment. Two have been operating fixed sites since February 2012.
• Amazon Wish List / Local Hotels, Businesses, RestaurantsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal businesses provide in-kind donations including supplies for the drop-in center. Hotels, businesses, and restaurants donate to help maintain operational supplies.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Drug Policy Alliance: Largest US drug policy reform organization focused on advocacy and legislative change rather than direct service. Broad incumbent operating in the same harm reduction policy space where HRAC has passed 15 state/city initiatives.
• amfAR (Foundation for AIDS Research): Major HIV/AIDS research and advocacy foundation with funding programs targeting syringe access and harm reduction. Broad incumbent funder/advocate overlapping with HRAC's HIV/HCV prevention mission.

Direct peers

• National Harm Reduction Coalition: The leading national harm reduction nonprofit providing syringe access support, training, advocacy, and capacity building for local programs. Direct peer in the harm reduction services and policy advocacy space.
• Washington Heights CORNER Project: NYC-based syringe exchange and harm reduction program serving PWID in upper Manhattan. Direct peer in fixed-site syringe access and PWID-led programming.
• Vermont CARES: Vermont-based syringe exchange and harm reduction organization operating multiple sites statewide. Direct peer with comparable service offerings and rural/small-state footprint.
• Prevention Point Philadelphia: One of the oldest syringe exchange programs in the US, providing syringe access, naloxone, and primary care to PWID. Direct peer with the same fixed-site and mobile service model as HRAC.
• San Francisco AIDS Foundation: Major Bay Area nonprofit operating syringe access sites, naloxone distribution, and HIV/HCV testing. Comparable service mix to HRAC including drug user health programs and policy advocacy.
• Chicago Recovery Alliance: Long-running Chicago harm reduction organization running syringe exchange, naloxone distribution, and drug user activism. Direct peer in the syringe access and harm reduction service category.
• North Carolina Harm Reduction Coalition: Statewide harm reduction organization operating syringe access, naloxone distribution, and policy advocacy. Direct peer serving people who inject drugs through fixed sites and mobile outreach.
• New York Harm Reduction Educators: NYC harm reduction nonprofit providing syringe access, peer support, and advocacy. Direct peer in the East Coast harm reduction service ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/harmreductionactioncenter
• Xx.com/HRAC_Denver
• Facebookfacebook.com/harmreductionactioncenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/harm-reduction-project

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Harm Reduction Action Center