The Substance Use and Addictions Program (SUAP) provides time-limited funding for a wide range of innovative and evidence-informed projects including substance use prevention, harm reduction and treatment initiatives across the country.
The Government of Canda is providing an additional $10 million for six projects across Western Canada under SUAP that will support community-led initiatives to improve health outcomes for Canadians affected by substance use and addictions.
The backgrounder below describes the projects receiving funding.
British Columbia
Dr. Peter AIDS Foundation
Developing a National Support System for Front-Line Organizations and Workers who Support People Who Use Drugs to Successfully Transition Across the Continuum of Care - Vancouver, BC
$5,825,884 for their project that has significant focus on developing organizational capacity across Canada to set up and deliver harm reduction services. The project provides supports, training and mentoring to front-line complex care organizations in five regional offices across Canada.
Simon Fraser University (Canadian Drug Policy Coalition)
Strengthening Civil Society Networks in Responding to the Toxic Drug Crisis - Vancouver, BC
$1,888,000 for their project to enhance existing leadership and networks through collaborative practices, building capacity, and generating additional opportunities for knowledge translation and engagement. The overarching goal is to tackle root causes, mitigate harm, and enhance access to evidence-based services for substance use.
St. Paul's Foundation of Vancouver
Enhancing aftercare support for individuals following engagement in substance use services through Road to Recovery (R2R): British Columbia's Systems and Recovery (StaR) Navigation and transitional housing service - Vancouver, BC
$1,776,996 for their project implementing a new model of addiction care through the R2R initiative. This model increases the capacity of health professionals to provide on-demand addiction care by operationalizing almost one hundred new addiction treatment beds at St. Paul's Hospital in Vancouver, BC over the next three years. The model also reorganizes and coordinates existing clinical services to ensure individuals with a substance use disorder can be seamlessly supported at every phase of their recovery journey.
Provincial Health Services Authority
Nothing About Us Without Us: Peer Support Worker Program to Enhance Adult Concurrent Mental Health and Substance Use Care - Burnaby, BC
Amendment of $30,000 to target clients with complex substance use and severe mental health concerns in Red Fish Healing Centre for Mental Health and Addiction (Coquitlam, BC), and Heartwood Centre for Women (Vancouver, BC). Peer Support Workers are integrated into multi-disciplinary care teams and provide practical non-clinical support services using a trauma informed, harm reduction and peer-to-peer approach in group and one-to-one support meetings. They also advocate and assist clients and their support networks in navigating appropriate healthcare supports.
Alberta
CUPS Calgary Society
OAT Intensive Case Management - Calgary, AB
Amendment of $116,244 for their project providing an Intensive Case Management program for low-income individuals with a history of complex opioid and/or polysubstance use who are discharged from treatment settings including acute care. Through this project, individuals are connected to Opioid Agonist Therapy (OAT) and other wraparound care such as primary care, mental health counselling, economic support, housing, and prenatal care.
Manitoba
Elmwood Community Resource Centre and Area Association Inc.
Reducing Risk and Harm: A Substance Use Program - Winnipeg, MB
$837,420 for their project supporting people who use substances, with a focus on newcomer populations in the Elmwood area of Winnipeg who have completed residential substance use treatment programs. The project supports group programming focused on substance use awareness for people who use drugs and their family and friends, coping mechanisms, dealing with trauma and stigma, and strategies for daily living. The project also provides case management through one-to-one counselling for individuals throughout their involvement with the Elmwood Community Resource Centre.
