A Toolkit For Community Advocates
Too many families and communities have been personally and tragically affected by the opioid overdose crisis in British Columbia and in Canada. In response to the challenges faced by families affected by substance use, the BC Centre on Substance Use, BC Bereavement Helpline, Moms Stop the Harm, and Parents Forever co-hosted Stronger Together, a series of dialogue and learning sessions for families and allies impacted by substance use. During Stronger Together, we visited communities across BC to learn from family members and loved ones how addiction and substance use had impacted their communities and families.
We learned that family member, caregiver, and allies have unique and undervalued insights on how we can improve the substance use system of care.
We also learned that these family members, caregivers, and allies deserve – but often aren’t receiving –support for the trauma, grief, and stress they experience as a result of substance use in their family or community.
After the Stronger Together sessions ended, we wanted to capture the spirit of what we heard in the sessions. We interviewed key leaders, partners, and participants of Stronger Together to hear their thoughts and reflections on family engagement in the substance use system of care, and created videos from these interviews.
We hope you can use these videos to show the power of family engagement and importance of support for families, and to start important discussions on how to make this happen. If you are a community member or advocate, we’ve included some suggestions on how to share these videos.
Share this video to help others understand the need for support for family members who are supporting a loved one with addictions, or to start the conversation around how a support group might be started in your community.
Consider sharing this video with:
- Health service providers in your community
- Community groups or agencies
- Your health authority (Learn which regional health authority serves your community)
- Your Community Action Team (Learn if your community has a Community Action Team)
- Friends or family members who might be interested in starting a support group in their communities
Questions to ask:
- What kind of support is available in my community for people who have a loved one who uses substances?
- Examples of support might include, but are not limited to: mutual support groups, one-on-one counseling, family navigators who help people understand the healthcare system.
- Is there mutual support available, so community members can talk to those who have experienced similar challenges?
- How can our community better support family members who are impacted by addiction?
Additional resources to explore:
- Parents Forever – Please reach out to Frances Kenny for more resources and information on how Parents Forever was started and how it runs.
- From Grief to Action Coping Kit: Dealing with Addiction in Your Family – a handbook focusing on questions, issues, and practical advice for parents, guardians, and loved ones of people who use drugs.
Share this video to share the need for support for family members who have lost a loved one to substance use, and to start a conversation around how a support group might be started in your community.
Consider sharing with:
- Health service providers in your community, such as grief support counselors
- Community groups or agencies, such as local hospices or funeral homes
- Your health authority (Learn which regional health authority serves your community)
- Your Community Action Team (Learn if your community has a Community Action Team)
- Friends or family members who might be interested in starting a support group in their communities
Questions to ask:
- What kind of support exists in my community for people who have lost a loved one to substance-related harms?
- Is there a space for bereaved family members to come together and share the unique challenges they are experiencing without judgment and stigma?
- How can my community better support community members who are grieving a loss from substance use?
Additional resources to explore:
- BCBH - https://www.bcbh.ca or Call the helpline toll-free 1-877-779-2223 (Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm)
- Moms Stop the Harm – Healing Hearts mutual support groups
- Gone Too Soon: Navigating grief and loss as a result of substance use – a handbook resource for those who have lost a loved one to substance use, including practical information and self-care advice from those who have lost a loved one to substance use
Family member, caregiver, and ally experiences have unique and undervalued insights on how we can improve the substance use system of care. Share this video to start a conversation around how family members can get more involved in decision-making in your community.
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Consider sharing this video with:
- Health service providers in your community
- Community groups or agencies
- Your health authority (Learn which regional health authority serves your community)
- Your city council
- Your Community Action Team (Learn if your community has a Community Action Team)
Questions to ask:
- Are family members, caregivers, and allies consulted in how substance use services are delivered in your community?
- Examples of consultation might include family advisory committees, town halls, or working groups that include family member participation.
- How can family members’ concerns and voices be heard in substance use services?
- How can we as a community better hear and honour the stories and insights family members have in the substance use system of care?
Additional resources:
- Stronger Together Reports – these reports summarize findings from the 9 communities we visited during Stronger Together. Check if your community is listed and you can read the feedback that was given during the sessions.
- Ministry of Health Patient, Family, Caregiver, and Public Engagement Framework (2018) – a guiding framework for incorporating family engagement in healthcare (note that this is not specific to substance use)