• We outline a peer-led program focused on opioid agonist treatment and prescribed safe supply medication delivery that began in March 2020 at a clinic in rural BC.
• The peer has regular contact with approximately 50 clients and navigates medication delivery and appointments for approximately 10–15 people each day.
• Clients have been retained on the medication, and experienced improvement in other outcomes, including securing housing, employment and managing acute and chronic health conditions.
• The peer has established contact with clients since March 2020 to support engagement with health care and continuity of medication access.
• This program highlights the importance and value of peer-led work and need for further investments in peer-led programs to respond to the unregulated drug poisoning crisis.

Examining Moral Distress in Health Care: A Panel Discussion on Ways Forward - RNAO: The Registered Nurses Association (RNAO) in partnership with the Harm Reduction Nurses Association (HRNA), Community Health Nurses’ Interest Group (CHNIG), Mental Health Nurses Interest Group (MHNIG), MOMS Stop the Harm and the National Safer Supply Community of Practice (NSS-CoP) invite you to join us for a webinar on the topic of "Examining Moral Distress in Health Care: A Panel Discussion on Ways Forward". Register here. 

Date: Tuesday, December 12, 2023 1-2pm ET

Panelists:

• Corey Ranger, RN, BN.  Clinical Nurse Specialist, AVI Health & Community Services and President, Harm Reduction Nurses Association 
• Dr. Rosanra Yoon, MN, PhD, NP-Adult. Assistant Professor, Daphne Cockwell School of Nursing, Faculty of Community Services, Toronto Metropolitan University and Evaluation and QI Lead, Mid-West Toronto Ontario Health Team 
• Jenna Bennett, RN, MPH student LSHTM, Harm Reduction Community Health Nurse 

For more information, objectives of the webinar and to register: RNAO.ca/events/examining-moral-distress-in-health-care

Evolving models of supervised consumption services and overdose prevention sites in Canada - CATIE and Dr. Peter Centre: Supervised consumption services (SCS) and overdose prevention sites (OPS) provide people who use drugs with new harm reduction supplies and a safe, supervised space to use their drugs. As SCS and OPS have expanded rapidly across parts of Canada in recent years, new models have been developed and adapted according to changing community needs. This webinar will showcase different models of SCS and OPS, including innovative approaches to providing harm reduction services. It will aim to increase service providers’ understanding of the SCS and OPS landscape in Canada, as well as share a range of strategies that service providers can consider implementing to meet the needs of their communities. This webinar is presented in partnership with the Urgent Public Health Need Sites (UPHNS) HUB Community of Practice.

Date: Monday, December 4, 2023 1-2:30pm ET 

Moderators: Cassandra Smith, Dr. Peter Centre, and Magnus Nowell, CATIE 
 
Speakers: 

• Jill Aalhus, Blood Ties Four Directions Centre 
• Félix-Antoine Guérin, L’Anonyme 
• Patrick McDougall, Dr. Peter Centre 
• Ashley Smoke, Tweak Easy 
• Lee Zorniak, Royal Alexandra Hospital 

Mental Health and Substance Use Health (MHSUH) Integration in Primary Care Consultation Sessions - CSA: The Canadian Standards Association (CSA Group) invites you to join its consultation sessions and workshops on Mental Health and Substance Use Health (MHSUH) integration in Primary Care. CSA Group will be conducting these consultation sessions to gain insights from Canadians about their experiences and challenges with accessing and navigating Mental Health and Substance use health within primary care. The sessions will help inform guidance on how mental health, substance use health and primary care services can work better together. Please register by the date indicated for the consultation and workshop sessions (you may participate in more than one) here. Virtual consultation sessions are scheduled for the following dates: 

• Healthcare Providers Session | Monday, December 4th, 2023 (2-4pm ET): Session for health care professionals and mental health experts, including those who are predominantly involved in the delivery of mental health and substance use health in the primary care and general health care setting (e.g., frontline staff, nurses, health care providers, social workers, physicians, family doctor, psychiatrists, peer workers etc.) This also includes experts involved in mental health and substance use health. (e.g., researchers, managers, administrators). 
• Indigenous Communities Session | Thursday, December 7th, 2023 (1-3:30pm ET): Session for members of Indigenous Communities, including elders, persons with lived and living experiences, their families, and caregivers, as well as those who are predominantly involved in the delivery or management of primary care and mental health and substance use health for Indigenous Communities. 
• Health Equity and Access Session | Monday, December 11th, 2023 (2-4pm ET): Session for representatives from organizations that are involved in health equity and access initiatives (e.g., LGBTQ2S+ organizations and communities, racialized communities’ health organizations, health equity researchers, etc.). This session will also include family and caregivers of individuals with lived and living experience to share their stories on mental health and substance use health access and equity. 
• People with Lived and Living Experience Session | Wednesday, December 13th, 2023 (1-3:30pm ET): Session for people with lived and living experience of mental health and substance use. Registration deadline: TBD. 

The virtual consultation sessions will culminate in a multi-stakeholder workshop on integration of MHSUH in primary care scheduled for: 

• Multi-Stakeholder Workshop | Wednesday, January 10th, 2024 (1-4pm ET): Multi-stakeholder workshop to review input from enhanced engagement sessions and begin drafting content for the National Workshop Agreement. 

Contact
Taurai Kurebwa
Project Manager Health Care and Well-being
CSA Group
Phone: 416 747 4000 ext. 42334
taurai.kurebwa@csagroup.org

• Cocaine use rising in Canada, new data suggests, as researchers link stimulants to drug deaths 
• Canada gets low marks for opioid deaths, access to health care in OECD report 
• Canada needs systems of care, not coercion 
• Canadian-made fentanyl is an international problem, RCMP says 
• Federal addictions minister says department taking a deeper look into safer supply 
• Fewer young people needed hospitalization for substance-use issues in 2022, report says

• DULF arrests consolidate worldwide response 
• Why DULF’s Founders Deserve Awards, Not Arrests
• Letter from five members of DULF's compassion club 
• Vancouver Activists Rally for DULF Compassion Club After Police Raids 
• B.C. coroner’s panel calls for non-prescription access to safer drug supply 
• Expert Panel Warns People Will ‘Die At Unprecedented Rates’ Unless BC Government Changes Approach on Drug Policies 
• B.C. rejects coroner panel’s call to expand access to safer-supply program 
• B.C. clinicians point to limits of safer-supply program in draft report
• B.C. doctors, nurses sign open letter in support of Drug User Liberation Front 
• Vancouver nurse says he received a warning after emailing colleagues about DULF 
• B.C.'s ban on drug use in public spaces is unconstitutional, lawsuit claims 
• BC Passed an Anti-Drug Law. Community Groups Say It Will Target Unhoused and Racialized People.

• Alberta moves to strengthen legislation before proposed opioid class-action lawsuit 
• EMS responses to opioid-related calls in Edmonton reach all-time high in 2023 
• New data show Alberta, Calgary posting worst opioid death rates on record 
• 'There is not enough support': Edmonton experiencing third-deadliest year for opioid-related deaths 
• Alberta to dismantle current patient-care model, create new health delivery system 
• Alberta government report on safe consumption ‘pseudoscience,’ says medical journal

• Province tells doctors it has no plans to fund supervised consumption sites in Sask. 
• Record-breaking year looms for drug toxicity deaths in Saskatchewan: coroners service report 
• New drug toxicity report shows alarming numbers for Saskatchewan

• Addictions minister tasked with establishing supervised consumption site in downtown Winnipeg 
• Federal funding creates 10 new crisis detox beds in downtown Winnipeg

• Toxic illicit drugs continue to be massive concern as Chief Coroner confirms recent deaths due to substance use

• Des militants se mobilisent en soutien à un club compassion de drogues illicites 
• Surdoses en C.-B.: des experts recommandent l’approvisionnement en drogue sans ordonnance 
• Le gouvernement de la N.-É. pourrait mettre des trousses de naloxone dans les écoles 
• Surdose mortelle: responsable de 45 % des décès, la cocaïne refait surface en N-É 
• Wab Kinew veut qu’un centre de consommation supervisée soit mis sur pied à Winnipeg
• La Ville de Regina a enregistré un record de surdoses pendant les 9 premiers mois de 2023 
• Santé publique Ottawa cherche des ressources pour s’attaquer à la crise des opioïdes 
• Trois surdoses dans un bâtiment désaffecté du centre-ville de Montréal 
• Le nombre de décès par surdose continue de s’additionner en Saskatchewan 
• Des chercheurs mettent de l’avant la spectrométrie pour détecter de nouvelles drogues 
• Opioïdes: Les provinces veulent faire payer les soins de santé aux pharmaceutiques 

• What Nova Scotia can learn from B.C.'s drug-checking services 
• Warning issued about dangerous synthetic opioid in Halifax after drug seizure 
• Addiction harm reduction questioned again at Charlottetown city council