[Blog Post] Update on Supervised Consumption Sites in Alberta
Supervised Consumption Sites (SCS) are part of a range of evidence-based services that aim to reduce harm, support prevention, and provide treatment for Albertans (Alberta Health Services, 2023). In these sites, people who use drugs can do so in a monitored, hygienic, way to reduce harm from substance use. Medical care, connecting people to broader health and social services, such as treatment and recovery-oriented support, as well as decreasing the transmission of infections are all functions of SCS. Supervised consumption sites’ most well-known benefits are reducing overdose mortality, and infectious related complications (Young & Fairbairn, 2018). Despite the overwhelming amount of evidence supporting the benefits of SCS for people who use drugs, and saving costs by avoiding emergency services, SCS that have been closed in Alberta, have not re-opened and expansion is not on the horizon.
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By
Edmonton Social Planning Council
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Published
Jan 23, 2024
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Subject Area
- General Health and Wellness
- Mental Health and Wellness
- Age-friendly Communities
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Audience
- Service Providers (Non-profits, Community Organizations, Local government)
- Caregivers, Seniors & Volunteers
- Health Authorities
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Category
- Best Practices
- Other Topics
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