Durham Opioid Response Plan
Status update
A complex issue like opioid overdoses requires a comprehensive, collaborative, compassionate, and evidence-based approach. The Canadian Drug Strategy continues to provide a framework for Durham Region’s Opioid Response Plan. The Durham Region Opioid Response Plan is developed by the Durham Region Opioid Task Force, which is comprised of agencies that provide harm reduction and/or treatment services, first responders, individual residents with lived experience, school boards, and health care professionals.
Fall 2021
In the fall of 2021, Task Force members re-convened to update the Opioid Response Plan and identify further objectives to address areas of prevention, treatment, harm reduction, and enforcement.
The four pillars and 15 corresponding objectives are as follows:
Utilize the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action Report when determining evidence-based drug prevention strategies.
Participate in knowledge exchange activities with the Health, Homelessness and Housing Committee, to foster service coordination.
Identify and implement evidenced-based prevention strategies for problematic substance use for the residents within Durham Region.
Utilize the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action Report when determining evidence-based drug prevention strategies.
Increase timely access to services for people who use substances and are seeking treatment and harm reduction services.
To provide support to the Central East Local Health Integration Network/Lakeridge Health in the development of treatment pathways and to assist with identification of gaps in care.
Identify opportunities to leverage current services to include a peer-based model of support for harm reduction, outreach, and treatment services.
Utilize the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action Report when determining evidence-based drug prevention strategies.
Increase client(s) awareness of available harm reduction and treatment services within Durham Region.
Identify evidenced-based recommendations to enhance naloxone distribution services within Durham Region.
Identify evidenced-based recommendations to enhance needle exchange program services within Durham Region.
Implement a plan to raise awareness of how public stigma acts as a barrier to accessing treatment and harm reduction services.
Identify targeted evidenced-based education strategies and communication strategies that aim to increase public awareness of the benefits of harm reduction services as part of an evidenced-based drug strategy.
Investigate opportunities for collaboration between the Opioid Task Force and the Métis Nation of Ontario pilot program for naloxone distribution.
Utilize the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action Report when determining evidence-based drug prevention strategies.
Opioid task force members will contribute to maintaining a healthy and safe community, with targeted efforts to downtown communities.
Continue addressing illicit drug production, supply, and distribution.
Collaborate with Durham Regional Police Service to identify opportunities for transitioning individuals from police service to community-based treatment and harm reduction services.
Download the Durham Opioid Response Plan infographic.
Winter 2022
The Task Force prioritized five objectives to be addressed in 2022. To move this forward, work groups are being convened.
The seven priority objectives for 2022 are as follows:
The objective, utilize the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action Report when determining evidence-based drug prevention strategies, will be applied across the work of the Task Force.
Prevention pillar
- Identify and implement evidenced-based prevention strategies for problematic substance use for the residents within Durham Region.
- Participate in knowledge exchange activities with the Health, Homelessness and Housing Committee, to foster service coordination.
Treatment pillar
To provide support to the Central East Local Health Integrated Network and Lakeridge Health in the development of treatment pathways and to assist with identification of gaps in care.
Harm reduction pillar
- Increase timely access to services for people who use substances and are seeking treatment and harm reduction services.
- Investigate opportunities for collaboration between the Opioid Task Force and the Métis Nation of Ontario pilot program for naloxone distribution.
Enforcement pillar
Collaborate with Durham Regional Police Service to identify opportunities for transition individuals from police service to community-based treatment and harm reduction services.
Reports
Contact Us
Health Department - Durham Health Connection Line
Population Health Division
The Regional Municipality of Durham
605 Rossland Road East
Whitby, Ontario L1N 6A3
Telephone (within regional limits): 311
Telephone: 905-668-2020
Toll-Free: 1-800-841-2729
Email Durham Health Connection Line
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