Impact of Pilot Safe Supply Programs on Vancouver Island
The need:
In October 2022, AVI Health and Community Services (AVI) implemented flexible, community-based, prescribed safer supply models in different communities on Vancouver Island. Funded up Health Canada’s Substance Use and Addictions Program (SUAP), the goal of the pilot program was to save the lives of people who use drugs by providing safer, pharmaceutical alternatives to the volatile and unregulated drug supply. AVI needed an evaluation of this pilot program to examine the impact it had on participants, as well as identify successes and areas for improvement.
What we did:
Working in collaboration with AVI staff, a logic model and evaluation framework were created for the pilot program to guide the assessment process. The evaluation collected and analyzed data from safe supply participants through a survey and semi-structured interviews (N=14). Participants were provided with cash honoraria to participate in the evaluation. Interviews were also completed with program staff and partners, including peer support workers, nurses, physicians, pharmacists, Island Health staff, local First Nations, and local community-based organizations. A summary evaluation report was prepared that succinctly summarized the program’s reach, impacts for participants, the experiences of participants, staff and partners being involved, and concrete recommendations for future directions.
Services:
Process Evaluation
Impact Evaluation
Impact Areas:
Toxic Drug Supply
Harm Reduction
