Harm reduction saves lives. That’s not an opinion. It’s what the research shows, what clinicians know, and what organizations like DanceSafe have been proving for nearly three decades.
That’s why what’s happening to them right now matters.
DanceSafe was founded in 1998, during the height of the drug war, with a simple mission: keep people who use drugs safer. They provide fentanyl test strips, drug checking services, and honest health education to people in nightlife and festival communities. People who are often written off by mainstream public health systems.
Last month, DanceSafe was forced to lay off nearly their entire team. They now run entirely on volunteer leadership.
Days after those layoffs, the White House announced that federal funds can no longer be used to purchase fentanyl test strips. This is a direct blow to harm reduction programs nationwide, including many of DanceSafe’s wholesale customers who depend on federal grants to get these tools into the hands of people who need them.
Fentanyl test strips work. They give people information that can prevent an overdose. Restricting access to federal funding for them isn’t a neutral policy decision. It’s a choice that will cost lives.
At Virginia Counseling Services, we’ve long believed that substance use is a symptom, not a character flaw. The people DanceSafe serves are not problems to be managed. They’re people trying to stay safe in a world that has often refused to meet them where they are. That’s exactly what harm reduction does. And that’s exactly why organizations like DanceSafe deserve our support.
DanceSafe is still here. Still fighting. And doing it with less than they’ve ever had.
If you’ve ever been to da clubs, festivals, anywhere with party people + music, you might have seen DanceSafe on the scene. If you believe in the cause, consider supporting their mission.
Visit DanceSafe and donate here.
If you or someone you know struggles with substance use, or you just have some questions about anything, feel free to reach out to us.