Supervised Consumption Services Guideline
July 2023
Operational Guidance
This document is intended to be a tool for those working to implement SCS, which may include policymakers, clinical and operational leads in health authorities, healthcare and social service organizations and providers, advocates, community non-profits, drug user organizations, and others who want guidance on how to plan, implement, or evaluate SCS in Canada. New or existing SCS operators may also find this document helpful for planning program changes and conducting quality improvement activities or evaluation activities.
Supervised consumption services (SCS) are health facilities where people consume drugs and are monitored by staff who provide education on harm reduction and provide emergency medical care for overdose. SCS also distribute sterile drug use equipment and can act as a pathway to other health services. SCS are authorized by federal or provincial authorities, which protects staff and participants from being charged with possession of illegal drugs while on site.
The guideline was developed as part of a CIHR-funded implementation science program and is designed to address some of the current impediments to the scale-up and sustainability of SCS in Canada by synthesizing and disseminating existing knowledge, and generating new research evidence. The guideline is intended to assist communities in their efforts to plan, design, secure support for, and implement SCS.
