The Province has launched the Opioid Treatment Access Line to make it faster and easier for people to get life-saving medication to treat opioid-use disorder and get connected to same-day care.
The Opioid Treatment Access Line is a provincewide telephone-based health service. People struggling with opioid addiction can call 1 833 804-8111 toll-free for immediate assistance from a dedicated team, including doctors and nurses, who can prescribe life-saving opioid agonist medications.
Callers will also be directly connected to regional healthcare teams for ongoing treatment and support within their community. Dedicated nurses will help ensure people get the longer-term care they need. The service is confidential, the treatment is covered under BC PharmaCare, and it is available seven days a week from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m.
It is estimated that at least 125,000 people are living with opioid-use disorder in B.C., and there are approximately 24,000 people currently on opioid agonist treatment.
“Opioid agonist treatments can reduce the harmful symptoms of opioid use and support long-term recovery, but too often people face challenges with getting a prescription when they need it,” said Dr. Penny Ballem, the Premier’s special adviser on health care. “Through this new telephone service, people from anywhere in B.C. can quickly and easily get an assessment and be prescribed the treatments they need to start their healing journey.”
Opioid agonist treatment uses medications such as buprenorphine/naloxone, methadone and slow-release oral morphine, prescribed by a trained doctor or nurse to prevent withdrawal symptoms and reduce the risk of overdose.
A BC Coroners Service report from 2022 found that of the 35% of people who were employed at the time of their death, 52% of them worked in the construction, trades or transport industry. The Province has been working with the sector to expand Tailgate Toolkit, a harm-reduction program that aims to educate employers and employees about the risks and supports available to them. The Opioid Treatment Access Line is another tool to add to that toolkit.
“It can be especially hard for people in the construction industry to overcome stigma and ask for help with an addiction. There is a need to remove further barriers that cause people to turn away,” said Vicky Waldron, executive director of the Construction Industry Rehabilitation Plan. “We are hopeful that the Opioid Treatment Access Line will improve access to treatment and care for construction workers who are struggling.”
In addition, the Province is supporting the Construction Industry Rehabilitation Plan with the expansion of the BuildStrong App, an app for construction workers that provides on-demand access to mental health and addiction support, including tools and techniques for managing stress and anxiety, tips for overcoming addiction challenges, and information about treatment options.
