James Kowalsky is a Project Director with the Illinois Department of Human Services, Division of Substance Use Prevention and Recovery. James coordinates the state's Drug Overdose Prevention Proram and provides supports to programs across the state delivering Overdose Education and Naloxone Distribution (OEND) services. James earned his Master's in Social Work at University of Chicago's School for Social Service Administration. He joined the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT) in September 2016. Formerly, James was the Project Coordinator for Heartland Center for Systems Change and the Midwest Harm Reduction Institute at Heartland Health Outreach (HHO) in Chicago, IL. In this role, James provided training and support to organizations adapting their practices to incorporate Harm Reduction, Housing First, Motivational Interviewing and Trauma-Informed Care. James spent seven years as an outreach worker with HHO, meeting people experiencing homelessness and linking them to housing, primary and mental health care, and other community-based resources. In that role, he learned the value of using Harm Reduction and Motivational Interviewing techniques to connect with the most vulnerable members of our communities.
For any training inquiries, please contact me at 954-593-0667 or HarmReductionJames@gmail.com.
