“We need to build a better bridge”
Youth-specific findings from the ongoing research project, ‘Improving Treatment Together’ (ITT), were recently published in a special series about young people, drugs and harm reduction.
Three overarching themes were identified across three communities in British Columbia and Alberta, suggesting that “we need to build a better bridge” to services and treatments by:
- increasing access to the full continuum of opioid treatment/services,
- responding to young peoples’ holistic and individual needs, and
- empowering them to be part of the treatment planning process.
This research, as informed by young people, identifies fundamental directions for improving the quality of opioid use treatments/services for young people.
For more information about this manuscript or the next steps for the ITT project, please reach out to Dr. Kirsten Marchand at kmarchand@foundrybc.ca or Dr. Skye Barbic at Sbarbic@foundrybc.ca.
References
Marchand, K., Fogarty, O., Pellatt, K.M. et al. “We need to build a better bridge”: findings from a multi-site qualitative analysis of opportunities for improving opioid treatment services for youth. Harm Reduct J 19, 37 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12954-022-00623-7
Keywords: Improving Treatment Together, ITT project, Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction, CCSA, Foundry Central Office, Foundry Victoria, opioid treatment services, substance use, the parent handbook, parents like us, substance use disorder, young person substance use, caregiver support, substance use
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