Impacts of an Overdose Prevention Service on Reducing Harm

In June 2019 CSC received a class exemption from Health Canada and began an Overdose Prevention Service (OPS), a crucial piece of the harm reduction program suite addressing substance use as a health issue. The OPS allows participants to consume illicit drugs using sterile equipment under the observation of a nurse to prevent fatal and non-fatal overdoses. This research includes five OPS sites across Canada and to date, CSC is the only correctional jurisdiction in the world to have such a program. This evaluation informs policy and program design in responding to the substance use needs of people who are incarcerated (PWAI).