Attempts to exclude people who use substances from facilities, or prevent substance use from being seen by staff, have failed to dissuade people from using and have instead pushed them to use alone. Episodic Overdose Prevention Services (e-OPS) are services or interventions that healthcare and social service providers (anyone from paramedics to peer supporters) can offer on an as-needed basis, anytime and anywhere overdoses occur.
Emily Sollows from the BC Center for Disease Control (BCCDC) will outline the ethical and professional obligation to reduce preventable deaths caused by the toxic drug supply during the wait for a safer, regulated supply. Shannon Riley from VCH and Kali-olt Sedgemore from VCH, Portland Hotel Society and The Coalition of Peers Dismantling the Drug War present on ‘Saving Lives, Safer Washrooms.’ They will join Emily to echo the responsibility to provide basic needs for safer drug consumption and enhance safety for people who use alone. Together they will shed light on the need for safer public washrooms and misconceptions about public drug use, and offer a checklist to implement safety changes in workplaces or community spaces.
Join us to learn about unique approaches to e-OPS and leave with strategies to de-stigmatize drug use and save lives.