Substance use health services in Canada are crucial for supporting individuals during withdrawal and addressing challenges they may experience based on their unique circumstances. Despite their importance, service delivery may encounter obstacles that impede quality care, such as insufficient or fragmented resources, regional systemic differences, societal biases regarding people seeking withdrawal management, and discriminatory expectations of service outcomes that might not align with the personal goals of the person seeking them.

In recognition of these challenges, the Canadian Standards Association conducted workshops to better understand the landscape of substance use health-related withdrawal management services in Canada. The primary goal of this work was to identify systemic gaps, operational guidance, and promising practices to address the unique and diverse needs of individuals accessing these services.

This report summarizes what was learned from workshop attendees and provides recommendations on guidance and best practices to help improve withdrawal management services in Canada, which could inform potential future standardization effort in this area.

This work is part of a series of resources developed by the Standards Council of Canada to promote better understanding, alignment, and integration among mental health and substance use health care providers throughout the country.