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Improving Substance Use Care and Prevention in BC - A policy paper by Doctors of BC 2024

Tagged:
substance use, mental health, addiction
February 2024
Mental Health and Substance Use | Policy Paper
Link 1.07 MB

Our 2009 policy paper, Stepping Forward: Improving Addiction Care in British Columbia, outlined Doctors of BC’s position on substance use care. While many of the calls to action in that paper still apply, the substance use landscape has shifted dramatically since 2009. Widespread access to quality care remains limited, and health outcomes for harmful substance use continue to deteriorate. As such, this paper builds on our 2009 policy paper and expands on its recommendations to build a better substance use system of care that reduces stigma, prevents, or minimizes substance use harms, and enables all British Columbians to access the care and services they need when and where they need it.

Submission to the Select Standing Committee on Health – Drug Toxicity Crisis

Tagged:
substance use, illicit drugs, toxicity, overdose, poisoning, opioids, addictions
August 2022
Mental Health and Substance Use | Policy Submission
Link 78.92 KB

Doctors of BC acknowledges the severe impact of the drug toxicity crisis and calls for a multi-pronged, coordinated approach to address the ongoing public health emergency in BC. To address this issue, Doctors of BC recommends enhancing coordination and improving access to community-based, culturally appropriate, and evidence-informed substance use prevention, harm reduction, and treatment programs and services. Additionally, Doctors of BC recommends supporting physicians who wish to participate in the provision of safer pharmaceutical alternatives, evaluating the impact of decriminalization and expanding engagement with doctors to receive input into the development, implementation, and evaluation of substance use programs and services.

Illicit Drugs Toxicity/Overdose Crisis

Tagged:
substance use, illicit drugs, toxicity, overdose, poisoning, opioids, addictions
June 2021
Mental Health and Substance Use | Policy Statement
Link 165.76 KB

Doctors of BC Position: To prevent drug toxicity injuries and deaths, Doctors of BC supports a multi-pronged approach based on the principles of harm reduction, prevention, treatment, and enforcement. Doctors of BC supports decriminalization of simple possession of controlled substances for personal use, enhanced coordination and access to services, and increased efforts to separate people from the toxic, illicit drug supply.

Reaching Out: Supporting Youth Mental Health in British Columbia

Tagged:
mental health, youth, substance use, addictions, transition
September 2014
Mental Health and Substance Use | Policy Paper
Link 900.76 KB

Doctors of BC Position: In order to address the unique challenges related to youth mental health Doctors of BC recommends increasing awareness of available youth-related mental health resources, involving family physicians in helping youth with mental health concerns, and collaboration by key stakeholders to improve capacity and accessibility of mental health services.

Stepping Out of the Shadows: Collaborating to Improve Services for Patients with Depression

Tagged:
mental health, depression, substance use, addiction, primary care
August 2009
Mental Health and Substance Use | Policy Paper
Link 2.13 MB

Doctors of BC Position: In order to help individuals suffering from depression and addiction Doctors of BC policy supports a collaborative approach among stakeholders to provide adequate service funding, reduce barriers to treatment, develop effective physician education, expand research capacity and continue to explore innovative improvements in quality of care.

Stepping Forward: Improving Addiction Care in British Columbia

Tagged:
substance use, mental health, addictions, treatment, drugs, overdose
March 2009
Mental Health and Substance Use | Policy Paper
Link 2.66 MB

Doctors of BC Position: Doctors of BC calls on the Premier and the Minister of Health to formally recognize addiction as a chronic disease and increase resources for addiction treatment and care in BC over the next 5 years. Addiction care infrastructure must be a priority in 2009, and the province must create 240 new detoxification spaces and 600 new addiction treatment beds by 2012.

Open Mind: Mental Health Tools and Resources

Tagged:
substance use, illicit drugs, toxicity, overdose, poisoning, addictions
January 2005
Mental Health and Substance Use | Policy Paper

OpenMindBC.ca presents a valuable resource for physicians, parents, teachers, and youth to learn more about the mental health support services that are available in British Columbia and across Canada.

https://openmindbc.ca/

Supporting Community-based Overdose Prevention Services

Tagged:
mental health, addictions, substance use
January 2005
Mental Health and Substance Use | Resolution

Doctors of BC Position: Doctors of BC supports community-based programs that offer naloxone and other opioid overdose prevention services. Doctors of BC also encourages education of health workers and opioid users about the use of naloxone in preventing overdose fatalities.