The Canadian Pain Task Force (CPTF) online consultation will be extended to May 29, 2020. The consultation can be accessed here: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/programs/consultation-understand-prevent- manage-pain Health Canada knows that governments and community partners in cities and towns across Canada continue to work hard to protect our communities from the threat of COVID-19. We also recognize that vulnerable groups, including those dealing with substance use, are impacted especially hard by the pandemic. Collaboration is taking place across many sectors, including governments, charities, public health and social services, to address the impacts of COVID-19 on vulnerable populations, as well as ongoing work to respond to the overdose crisis in Canada. Below are links to information and resources relating to the COVID-19 response and substance use or vulnerable populations that might be of interest to you or your organization. GOVERNMENT OF CANADA COVID-19 RESOURCES Health Canada
Health Canada launched a new portal dedicated to mental wellness on Canada.ca/coronavirus and the Canada COVID-19 app. Wellness Together Canada will connect Canadians to peer support workers, social workers, psychologists and other professionals for confidential chat sessions or phone calls, and will make it easier to find credible information and help address mental health and substance use issues. The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) and Statistics Canada: A revised set of preliminary data on the number of confirmed novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases reported by the provincial and territorial health authorities to the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) is available.
The set covers the period from January 15 to April 13, 2020. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/200415/dq200415b-eng.htm Taking Care of your Mental Health (COVID-19): https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/diseases- conditions/taking-care-mental-health.html
EXTERNAL COVID-19 RESOURCES AND INFORMATION
The Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA):
Resources on COVID-19 and substance use gathered websites and organizations from around the world, as well publications from its own experts. https://www.ccsa.ca/Impacts-COVID-19-Substance-Use
Canadian Drug Policy Coalition:
COVID-19 Harm Reduction Resources https://drugpolicy.ca/covid-19-harm-reduction-resources/
British Columbia Centre on Substance Use:
https://www.bccsu.ca/resources-substance-use-and-covid-19/
o NEWBCCSU (english only)
Guidance: Risk Mitigation in the Context of Dual Public Health Emergencies https://www.bccsu.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Risk-Mitigation-in-the-Context-of- Dual-Public-Health-Emergencies-v1.2.pdf
o NEWVancouver Coastal Health Authority (english only)
Companion to BCCSU document advising on the implementation of these guidelines https://sneezesdiseases.com/covid-19-withdrawal-management-prescriber-guidelines
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH):
Mental Health and the COVID-19 Pandemic http://www.camh.ca/en/health-info/mental-health-and-covid-19
International Network of People Who Used Drugs:
COVID-19 Crisis: Harm Reduction Resources for People who Use Drugs https://www.inpud.net/en/covid-19-crisis-harm-reduction-resources-people-who-use-drugs