A message from Dr. Evan Adams, FNHA Deputy Chief Medical Officer
On International Drug Users’ Remembrance Day, held annually on July 21, we come together in spirit to honour, remember, and grieve the loved ones, friends, and community members we have lost to the toxic-drug-poisoning crisis. We know that First Nations people are disproportionately impacted by this crisis – often as a consequence of colonial harms. We stand with everyone who is grieving, and acknowledge the profound impact these losses have on families, Nations, and communities.
We also send compassion, understanding, and support to all First Nations people who may be in active use or who are in recovery or treatment. If you know someone who is using drugs, we encourage you to create space for open, non-judgmental, and honest conversations about substance use. This seemingly basic action can be scary, but it can also be lifesaving as it breaks down the stigma and shame that may prevent people from seeking support when they need it most. The Courageous Conversations Toolkit is a resource that will help you have these kinds of conversations.
Please know that whether you are using substances yourself, supporting someone who is, or grieving the loss of a loved one, you do not have to walk this journey alone. Healing Indigenous Hearts is a guide for those who wish to facilitate a support group with other Indigenous people who have suffered this kind of loss.
FNHA is committed to supporting First Nations people at every stage of their wellness journey. Through culturally safe, community-centered services and supports, FNHA offers various resources related to mental health and wellness, harm reduction, treatment, recovery, and healing.
Today, we remember those we have lost, uplift those who are struggling, and send encouragement and hope to those of us on their healing journeys.
Support is available through:
- First Nations Health Benefits Program: May provide coverage for access to treatment and/or healing services.
- First Nations Virtual Doctor of the Day: Provides culturally safe primary care services.
- FNHA Mental Health and Wellness: Includes counselling and community-based wellness services.
Harm-reduction resources
- Indigenous harm reduction: An Indigenized approach to harm reduction that supports reconnection to culture and rebuilding relationships with the interconnected spiritual, human, and natural worlds.
- With Open Arms: Supportive conversations among friends: A resource for youth to navigate keeping friends close in conversations about substance use.
- Overdose-prevention strategies: Opportunities for safer substance use with the goal of preventing people from dying of toxic-drug poisoning.
- Opioid Agonist Therapy: A safe and effective treatment option to help prevent withdrawal and reduce opioid cravings.
- Naloxone: A medication that can temporarily reverse opioid poisonings and help save lives.
- All paths lead to wellness: A harm-reduction approach that meets people where they are at in their healing journeys.
- Substance use: Culturally relevant, evidence-informed information about substance use and wellness.
Learn more about FNHA’s mental health, wellness, and substance-use supports and resources at www.fnha.ca.
