Local government staff and elected officials are invited to participate in a free harm reduction training session on Friday, December 10 from 1-3pm. This session will explore concepts that directly impact public safety, homelessness, and the overdose crisis; and build practical skills and knowledge to address these issues with compassion and inclusion.
This session will be run by the Opioid Emergency Response Center (OERC), Community Action Initiative (CAI) and the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC), who recognize the urgent responsibilities facing elected officials and government staff, including COVID-19, public safety, homelessness, and the overdose crisis.
Interested local government staff and elected officials can register for the December 10 training now.
Those who wish to do a deeper dive on harm reduction can also contact CAI staff, who can provide free harm reduction training modules over one day, or over a period of 3-4 weeks. Remote offerings via zoom are possible, however, in- person training sessions are recommended. The training modules will cover harm reduction, the history of prohibition, lenses of addiction, social determinants of health, local government mandates and harm reduction/overdose prevention.
Participants who are members of the Canadian Institute of Public Health Inspectors, Planning Institute of BC and/or the Architectural Institute of BC may be able to receive professional credits for attending this workshop. Please contact BCCDC staff to inquire about credits.