Release Date
Geography
Language of Resource
Full Text Available
Open Access / OK to Reproduce
Peer Reviewed
Objective
Residential treatment programs in Ontario provide a variety of in-house treatment services to support people who use substances. However, these programs are not standardized, often varying in the type, quality, and availability of services offered, including evidence-based interventions such as Opioid Agonist Treatment (OAT). Local treatment systems are also rather fragmented and complex to navigate, creating barriers for potential services users to identify and make informed choices on available treatment options.
Findings/Key points
A total of 102 residential addiction treatment programs and 36 residential supportive recovery programs in Ontario were identified. The scan noted substantial regional variations in program availability and wait times, along with a lack of programs tailored to unique populations such as women, youth, and Indigenous peoples. There is also a paucity of publicly-available information on program offerings, including detailed specifics on OAT policies within residential treatment programs that are crucial to ensuring that the services being offered are safe and grounded in evidence-based practice. Furthermore there was a lack of standardization on OAT policies across programs. Efforts should be made to ensure access to treatment-specific program information relevant to potential service users and to enhance coordinated access to residential treatment services in the province.
Design/methods
Between May to August 2023, an environmental scan was conduced to capture available information on all publicly-funded residential treatment programs in Ontario. Data were captured on organization name, geographical location, program description, program type, eligibility criteria, target population, the program’s OAT policies, number of available beds, minimum and maximum length of stay, projected wait times, funding source, and associated fees for program admission.
