New Provincial Drug Alert System launches through Ministry of Health

SUBMITTED BY GOV’T OF SASK. Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Tim Mcleod joined City of Regina Mayor Sandra Masters, representatives of the Regina and Saskatoon Fire and Police Services, and the Saskatchewan Coroners Service to mark the launch of a new Provincial Drug Alert System last week.

The new Provincial Drug Alert System will enable the Ministry of Health to better coordinate the issuance of drug alerts and assist partner organizations with monitoring the toxicity of illicit drugs across Saskatchewan.

With the new system, drug alerts will meet at-risk people where they are at via text, email, and through the Alertable app, in addition to alerts that are currently posted by partner organizations at locations where services are provided.

Anyone can sign up to receive a drug alert via text, email or through a downloadable app.

Drug alerts will be issued by the Ministry of Health based on information provided from partner organizations such as the Saskatchewan Coroners

Service, Regina and Saskatoon Fire Services,

and drug checking sites in Saskatoon and Regina.

Alerts are issued when partners report to the Ministry of Health the following situations:

• more than expected number of individuals seen by paramedic, or in hospital, with an overdose over a short period of time;

• multiple severe outcomes (ICU admissions, deaths) over a short period of time; • multiple overdoses in persons who use or live in the same area or location or who report use of a common substance; • overdoses that are difficult to reverse with naloxone; and

• concerning substances in circulation that have the potential to cause harm or death.

Signup information is available at saskatchewan.ca/drug-alerts or text JOIN to 1-833-35-B-SAFE (352-7233). The Government has committed to doubling the number of addictions treatment spaces across the province by adding at least 500 more spaces under the new Action Plan for Mental Health and Addictions.