Sheila P. Vakharia

Dr. Sheila Vakharia is the policy manager for the Office of Academic Engagement at the Drug Policy Alliance, where she works to help bridge the research and policy divide. She was previously an assistant professor in the department of Social Work at LIU’s Brooklyn campus and has worked as a clinical social worker in both traditional abstinence-based and harm reduction treatment settings. Sheila is a member of the board of directors of The Influence Foundation, which operates Filter.

When People Ask Harm Reductionists, “What About Treatment?”

“What about treatment?” I’m commonly asked this question by well-intentioned folks when I say I am a harm reduction advocate,…

January 8, 2024

“Social Workers Belong in Police Departments” Is an Offensive Statement

Last week, the New York State Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers posted a graphic on Facebook that…

June 10, 2020

Faulty Study Questioning Effectiveness of Safer Consumption Spaces Now Retracted—But the Damage Was Done

The International Journal of Drug Policy announced last week that they retracted a recently published meta-analysis on the health impacts…

October 4, 2018