Monarda Community Care

Supporting the autonomy and liberation of Columbia County residents through community care since 2022.

Monarda is a collective of holistic practitioners working to dismantle racist and colonial frameworks through community care and crisis intervention. We provide free acupuncture clinics, herbal medicine, harm reduction supplies, and educational programming for all ages, as well as direct support for incarcerated Columbia County residents. 

During the Covid-19 pandemic, we saw the crises in housing, addiction, and economic inequality worsen deeply in our communities. We knew that the people most marginalized by those crises were getting stuck in cycles of precarity, poverty, and violence while trying to access basic social services. Where the state leaves people behind, we intervene with dignified, judgement free, direct support and community care. 

Current 2023-2024 residencies:
Hudson Area Library - Hudson,NY
Columbia County Jail - Hudson,NY

Current and past collaborators:
Columbia County Mental Health, City of Hudson Youth Department, Eco-Toolshed, New Lebanon Access Hub, Herban Cura, New Moon Mycology Summit, Greater Hudson Promise, Spark of Hudson, Columbia County Jail, Columbia County Re-Entry

We believe healthcare is a human right and recognize the current healthcare system does not prioritize those marginalized by our society and in fact under the current structure of healthcare in the United States we are all underserved. We provide free holistic care in the form of acupuncture, herbal medicine and safe-use resources to our community to support autonomy and liberation. 

We provide Narcan, Fentanyl test strips and other safe-use resources at our clinics. We offer the NADA protocol as an adjunct therapy to support and facilitate healing from addiction, trauma and the myriad of stressors caused living in a late-stage capitalism/pre, post and possibly perpetual pandemic world.

We are in solidarity with drug users and sex workers and believe in their rights and dignity. We believe that shame and stigma cause harm. We prioritize safety before sobriety. We acknowledge that many people who use drugs are coping with the traumas of systemic harm. People who use drugs deserve love. 

We believe everyone should have access to quality health and holistic care. We recognize that because of cost acupuncture is now largely inaccessible to the people who had effectively used it to better the health and well-being of their communities for centuries. All of our clinics are free and ADA compliant.