Adult Substance Use Services & Resources

If you or someone you know is at risk of or showing signs of problematic substance use or mild substance use, these resources may help.

• Help Lines fact sheet - links to trustworthy help lines.
• Mobile Apps/Virtual Treatment fact sheet - provides a list of virtual/online supports

Easy to access services to meet people where they are at, as they are ready.

• Substance Use Outreach Services
• Harm Reduction Services
• Supervised Consumption and Overdose Prevention Services
• Overdose Prevention & Treatment

If you or someone you know is experiencing an acute mental health or substance use crisis, these services may be available in your community.

• Crisis Response
• Substance Use Connections
• Addiction Medicine Consultation Services
• Integrated Crisis Response Teams respond to mental health or substance use (MHSU) emergencies in Kamloops and Kelowna. Our MHSU clinicians are partnered with a specially trained RCMP officer to help connect you to the services you need to keep you safe.

Provide individual and group counselling, case management or day treatment programs in the community.

• Substance Use Counselling & Treatment Services
• Substance Use Day Treatment
• Intensive Case Management
• Integrated Treatment Teams
• Opioid Agonist Treatment (OAT)
• Outpatient Withdrawal Management Services
• Aboriginal Patient Navigator Services (APN)-MHSU

If you are experiencing moderate to severe substance use issues and require a more intensive treatment setting than Community Based Substance Use Services, you may be able to attend Facility Based Services: 

• Facility Based Withdrawal Management Services: Provide you with medically supported services through acute stages of withdrawal from alcohol or other drugs in an inpatient setting
• Transition & Stabilization Services: Provides a safe transition space if you do not have a stable place and need vital support following withdrawal management
• Facility Based Treatment Services: Provide you with a structured, live-in program where your treatment goals are supported through assessment, evidence-based treatment and skill building.
• Support Recovery Services: Provide you with a time-limited substance-free live-in setting. These safe, supportive environments are available when you are experiencing low to moderate substance use.

For a complete list of beds available to Interior Health adults see our list of Facility Based Services. 

As of Jan. 31, 2023 adults in B.C. are no longer charged for the personal possession of small amounts of certain illegal drugs (opioids, cocaine, methamphetamine, and MDMA). 

Learn more about decriminalization.

• Overdose & Drug Checking News & Alerts: News & updates on the ongoing opioid overdose public health emergency.
• Help Lines: This Fact Sheet is a compilation of trustworthy Help Lines to support you and guide you to other resources.
• Mobile Apps/Virtual Treatment: This fact sheet provides a list of virtual supports that can be accessed through an internet connected device so information and wellness ideas can be accessed whenever and wherever they are needed.
• Overdose Prevention/Harm Reduction: Involves a range of support services and strategies to prevent fatal and non-fatal overdoses and empower and support people to be safer and healthier.
• Opioid Agonist Treatment: Opioid Agonist Treatment (OAT) is the recommended treatment of Opioid Use Disorder (OUD). OAT involves an opioid agonist medication prescribed and monitored by a health care provider. The primary medications used are Suboxone and Methadone.
• Resources for Families and Loved Ones Affected by Substance Use: If your loved one is struggling with substance use, these resources (information, tools and support groups) may help.
• Peer Education and Training: If you are someone with lived or living experience with substance use who is seeking to further your skills and knowledge and strengthen your role in offering supports to others, these Peer training options may support you in your work.
• Addressing Stigma: Stigma is negative attitudes and beliefs about group of people due to their circumstances in life. This fact sheet is a compilation of trustworthy resources to support your learning about the impact of stigma
• Substance Use Language: Learn how language about substance use affects stigma.
• Information on Substances
  • Substance Information - Alcohol
  • Substance Information - Cannabis
  • Tobacco & Vaping

Facility-based withdrawal management

Facility-based treatment

Supportive recovery

Support for caregivers supporting loved ones affected by substance use

Support for people losing a loved one to substance use-related harms

In my experience was a five-part series where people shared first-hand experiences and information about accessing a variety of substance use services at Interior Health.

In my experience: Integrated Treatment Teams

Read about Jessica and Patrick's experience

In my experience: Substance use day treatment programs

Read about Ellen's experience

In my experience: Supervised Consumption/Overdose Prevention Sites

Read about Devon's experience

In my experience: Alcohol Use Disorder treatment

Read about Matthew's experience

In my experience: Opioid Agonist Treatment (OAT)

• First Nations Health Authority MHSU culturally safe and trauma informed resources including crisis lines, suicide prevention and residential school survivor supports.
• Mental Wellness Resources for Aboriginal Partners