Supervised Consumption Services Needs Assessment

Supervised Consumption Services/Sites (SCS) are legally sanctioned spaces where people are allowed to use pre-obtained illegal drugs in a clean, safe, and supportive environment. No illegal drugs can be acquired on site.

These sites are sometimes called Overdose Prevention Centres (OPC), Supervised Injection Facilities (SIF), Drug Consumption Rooms (DCR), or in Ontario, Consumption and Treatment Services (CTS).

The goals of SCS are to:

• Reduce public drug use and improperly discarded needles in our community.
• Reduce overdose-related injuries and deaths.
• Reduce the risk of infections from sharing or reusing drug-use equipment.
• Increase access to healthcare and supportive services for people who use drugs.

There are over 20 years of evidence showing that SCS:

• Decrease public drug use.
• Prevent, and almost eliminate overdose deaths.
• Increase safer drug use behaviour, reducing self-harm and injury.
• Increase the number of people accessing treatment services, education, and resources by establishing trust and relationships with people who use illegal drugs.
• Increase the safety for drug users by providing a clean, supportive, and non-judgmental environment
• Save taxpayers money by reducing overall health and social services costs.

Services of SCS can include:

• Supervised consumption of drugs, and monitoring after use, by trained workers.
• Safe disposal of needles and other drug-use supplies.
• Naloxone (lifesaving overdose drug) distribution and administration.
• Testing, treatment, and follow-up for infections like HIV and Hepatitis C.
• Access to primary health care services
• Other health and harm reduction services, education, resources, and referrals to social, health, and public health programs.
• Addictions and mental health treatment and support.
• Drug checking services in order to identify the presence of contaminations that cause overdoses and to help people decide if they want to use.

There are almost 200 SCS  operating in fourteen countries around the world. You can find more information about locations by visiting Overdose Prevention Centers – Drug Policy Alliance

There are several types of SCS in Canada. You can use the following to learn more:

• Recognized across Canada: Supervised consumption sites: Status of application – Health Canada
• Vancouver: Supervised consumption sites: Vancouver Coastal Health

The purpose of this project was to:

• Assess the need for SCS in Kenora, Dryden, Fort Frances, and Sioux Lookout by:
  • Determining the extent to which SCS are judged as suitable to intended users and other stakeholders.
  • Learning what the broader community’s perspectives are on SCS – for instance, how they may be helpful and what questions there may be. 
• Determine how SCS could be integrated within existing services in the community.
• Determine the extent to which services in communities can be enhanced to provide SCS.
• Determine potential locations that are accessible to the intended users and ensure safety for staff, intended clients, neighbourhood residents, and business owners.

The data collection phase of the needs assessment was completed in June – August 2022. The final report is now available:

LBCG Consulting for Impact Inc. with support from NWHU worked on this study and partnered with other community organizations to collect data.

For information or questions about the project, please email: talkpublichealth@nwhu.on.ca