Harm Reduction Consultations

The AC Umbrella Project provided a Harm Reduction Consultant (HRC), from Rideauwood Addictions and Family Services, onsite the Ottawa campus three days a week as well on an as needed basis at the Perth campus. At the Waterfront Campus in Pembroke, 90 minutes outside of Ottawa, the HRC worked with the local community addiction agency, Pathways Alcohol and Drug Treatment Services, and the Manager of Community and Student Affairs at Algonquin College to create similar services for students attending the Waterfront campus.

Harm reduction consultations provide the following:

  • Assessment on student’s use, motivation, and next steps.
  • Expert student education and support on topics of substance use, addiction, and harm reduction.
  • Best fit treatment recommendations, including referrals to community agencies.
  • Capacity-building opportunities among staff with direct student contact.

Access to the harm reduction consultations took many different forms. Students could self-refer by requesting a harm reduction consultation through the Welcome Centre, the central booking desk for Student Services. Any staff and faculty member was able to inform and refer a student to make a harm reduction consultation appointment. Counselling staff (both Centre for Accessible Learning and Counselling Services) were regularly able to introduce harm reduction consultations to students they were connected with. Residence Life Coordinators and Residence Community Advisors incorporated the harm reduction consultations as part of educational sanctions for students living in Residence who were involved in incidences that involved alcohol and other drugs (for more information on this, please see Educational Sanctions in the Residence section).

All staff and faculty at the three Algonquin College campuses could also access the HRC should they have concerns that a student is being negatively affected by substance use. The HRC was available to discuss the situation and guide next steps.

Evaluation

The students who completed a harm reduction consultation were emailed a short survey to garner some feedback. Participation rate was low, but results were promising.

Harm Reduction Consultations – Follow Up, July 2016.

Participants: 3 students

  • 100% stated that they did receive the support and/or information that they wanted.
  • 100% felt respected and supported by the HR counsellor.
  • 100% of students felt that they were able to develop new or better skills for coping, and felt that they benefitted from the session.
  • All students would recommend the sessions to a friend, and would like additional sessions.

Counsellors who booked harm reduction consultations for students, and then also participated in the consultations as observers, were also surveyed. See Appendix 7.0

Harm Reduction Consultations – Satisfaction Survey, April 2016.

Participants: 7 Counselling Staff

  • 80% stated that in their opinion the student benefitted from the consultation. Reasons they believed the student benefitted: strong knowledge transfer, the personality and approach of the counselor, and the warm referral.
  • 100% stated that they (the counsellors) benefitted from the consultation, through learning a new approach, improving own counselling skills, and learning through observing.
  • 80% where extremely satisfied with the consultation process.

Number of Harm Reduction Consultations Booked and Completed 2015 – 2017
See Appendix 8.0