Educational Modules for Healthcare Settings
In 2024, the KFL&A Community Drug Strategy received additional funding to address substance use stigma in healthcare settings. Building on the Support Not Stigma campaign, community partners partnered with Kingston Health Sciences Centre to develop two homegrown foundational modules for use in healthcare settings.
The Substance Use Health and Harm Reduction Educational Modules for Healthcare Settings are an open online educational resource. Each are designed to support healthcare and service providers to bolster compassionate care for People Who Use Substances. Although these modules are designed with our healthcare partners in mind, they are accessible to anyone. This educational resource is designed to be completed at your own pace so please take care.Module 1
Explores Substance Use Health to help learners understand the concept and spectrum of substance use, and to support them in identifying where they fall on that spectrum. This resource is designed to support healthcare providers to:
- Deepen your understanding of the spectrum of substance use and the diverse factors that influence individual experiences within it.
- Encourage reflective exploration of your own personal beliefs, attitudes, and values, as well as how these internal frameworks shape your interactions with People Who Use Substances (PWUS).
- Foster self-awareness to cultivate kind, empathic and compassionate care that honours the dignity and humanity of all individuals, wherever they are on the spectrum of substance use.
Module 1
Explores Substance Use Health to help learners understand the concept and spectrum of substance use, and to support them in identifying where they fall on that spectrum. This resource is designed to support healthcare providers to:
- Deepen your understanding of the spectrum of substance use and the diverse factors that influence individual experiences within it.
- Encourage reflective exploration of your own personal beliefs, attitudes, and values, as well as how these internal frameworks shape your interactions with People Who Use Substances (PWUS).
- Foster self-awareness to cultivate kind, empathic and compassionate care that honours the dignity and humanity of all individuals, wherever they are on the spectrum of substance use.
Module 2
Builds on Substance Use Health by focussing on Harm Reduction 101 to increase learners’ understanding of harm reduction and how to use it as an engagement tool. This resource is designed to support healthcare providers to:
- Introduce harm reduction and build a shared understanding of how harm reduction is a kind, empathic and compassionate approach to healthcare provider, staff and patient wellbeing.
- Integrate harm reduction into kind, empathic, and compassionate care by exploring practical strategies for building trust and fostering respectful relationships with People Who Use Substances (PWUS).
