With drug overdose deaths reaching record highs, the Saskatchewan Drug Task Force continues to search for answers.
The task force recently sought input from communities and their leaders, and ended up identifying a number of priorities that it believes can help reduce the number of overdose deaths in the province.
Those included using strategies to help people at highest risk in certain geographic regions, stigma reduction and trauma-informed services, community engagement and partnerships, co-ordination of services, and community drug alerts.
According to a media release from the provincial government, the task force will create a work plan based on those priorities.
“We recognize the urgent need to address addictions and overdoses in our province, and we are committed to finding solutions to meet these challenges,” Mental Health and Addictions Minister Everett Hindley said in the release.
“I’d like to thank the Drug Task Force and participants for their work on the consultations and most importantly a thank you to the individuals and organizations that shared their experiences and advice. This is not simply a health, police or mental health issue — it will take everyone working together to address it.”
The task force consulted with municipal leaders, First Nations and Metis organizations, community organizations, advocates, health and social work professional associations, and people with lived experiences and their families.
The Saskatchewan Drug Task Force comprises provincial government ministries, the chief medical health officer, the provincial coroner, police organizations, the Saskatchewan Health Authority, and the Saskatoon Tribal Council.