In response to the ongoing overdose crisis, novel approaches have been piloted to reduce harms related to the use of unregulated opioids for individuals in care who have not benefited from traditional OAT approaches.  In July 2021, the Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions, Ministry of Health, and Office of the Provincial Health Officer released Access to Prescribed Safer Supply in British Columbia: Policy Direction, which contains policy directives to enable access to pharmaceutical alternatives to unregulated drugs through regional health authority-run and federally funded programs. 

In support of this directive, and in partnership with the provincial government, the BCCSU has developed a range of protocols and practice support tools for the provision of different forms of prescribed safer supply as a means of reducing the risk of drug toxicity events and deaths. Visit BCCSU’s Prescribed Safer Supply page for further information.