An Environmental Scan of Social Work’s Regulatory Response to the Illicit Drug Overdose Crisis in Canada

Original research
par
Wallace, Bruce & Jessica Kennedy

Date de publication

2020

Géographie

Canada

Langue de la ressource

English

Texte disponible en version intégrale

Oui

Open Access / OK to Reproduce

Non

Évalué par des pairs

Yes

L’objectif

Sought any relevant documentation, resources, or responses related to the overdose crisis to understand how social work as a profession has been responding and what we can learn to inform future responses.

Constatations/points à retenir

All information collected had to do with naloxone. Canadian Association of Social Workers (CASW) advocated for a public health approach to illicit drug use that includes decriminalization (2018). At the provincial/territorial level, absence of official policies and ethical guidance to facilitate RSWs’ inclusion in this PH response. May be limited in capacity to respond.

Safe supply – CASW support. With limited roles for social workers there could be a shift from the criminalization of drugs and PWUD to the strict medicalization of drugs and PWUD. As safer supply responses are gaining traction, social work regulators have the opportunity to apply principles of determinants of health and of social justice in defining overdose response alternatives that avoid merely criminalizing or medicalizing substance use.

La conception ou méthodologie de recherche

Environmental scan (5 provinces)

Mots clés

Policy/Regulatory
Social services