Resources for People Working in Trades and Industries
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Mental health and substance use challenges can affect anyone, but people working in trades and related industries may face unique pressures and barriers to seeking support. This page brings together resources and services available in BC to help workers, families, and employers find support when they need it.
Crisis Support
- In case of an emergency (such as an overdose), call 9-1-1
- If you need urgent mental health support or are having suicidal thoughts, call or text 9-8-8
- For general mental health support, call 310-6789 (no area code)
Toxic Drugs. Real Risk.
- Download the free LifeguardConnect app for drug alerts, a safety timer, and links to resources near you.
- Find a free naloxone kit near you with TowardtheHeart.com.
- Naloxone kits are free at participating pharmacies and some other sites.
- Naloxone can slow or stop opioid overdoses in progress, giving emergency services time to respond.
- Even if you don’t use opioids, think about carrying a kit. It could help you save someone’s life.
- Learn how to use naloxone.
- Get your drugs checked. You can get a drug sample checked to find out what’s in it by visiting a drug checking site.
- Get alerts about toxic drugs circulating in your area by texting JOIN to 253787.
- Learn the signs of an overdose and how to respond.
- Want to learn more? Know the risks during the toxic drug crisis.
Get Help in BC – Fast. Free. Confidential.
Substance Use & Addictions Supports
- Access Central is the front door to publicly funded addictions care in your region. It’s open seven days a week, but hours are different in different locations, so check the times before calling.
1-833-866-6478, 8:30 am to 8:30 pm every day
1-866-777-1103, 9:00 am to 4:30 pm every day
1-888-885-8824, 9:00 am to 7:30 pm every day
1-866-658-1221, 9:00 am to 7:45 pm every day
Call the Virtual Clinic for Addictions Supports (press 2), 1-844-645-7811, 10:00 am to 10:00 pm every day. Access Central will be available in Northern Health in the future.
- The Opioid Treatment Access Line is a free provincial service that connects you with treatment for opioid addictions ASAP. Call the line at 1-833-804-8111 to get connected with a health care worker for quick access to care and medication. Opioid treatment medication can be prescribed over the phone and picked up at your local pharmacy.
- The Alcohol and Drug Information and Referral Service can provide information, options, and support, are refer you to a full range of counselling and treatment services across BC.
- Help with Drinking is a website that provides information and resources about alcohol use based on evidence and lived experience
- KnowAlcohol helps people understand what they can gain or save from drinking less.? The site hosts a calculator tool to help people assess risks associated with alcohol use and explore the benefits of drinking less.
- Find services in other languages with our list of multi-language services.
Pain Resources
- The Guide Line helps you manage chronic pain (text TRADES to 1-833-261-PAIN)
- PainBC offers help and support for pain management, including pain support groups, educational resources and the Guide Line.
- Drug-free pain clinics offered by BuildStrong for CIRP for unionized construction, trades and technical workers
Trades Supports
- The Tailgate Toolkit offers region-specific information on mental health services, overdose prevention sites, chronic pain resources, and more
- BuildStrong by CIRP offers free support, including one-on-one clinical counselling, support groups, family support, bed-based treatment, drug-free pain relief clinics, and connections to housing, medical and financial resources for unionized construction, trades and technical industries
- BC Construction Safety Alliance Well-being and Recovery Hub helps you search for resources with a simple online database of mental health and substance use supports, searchable by region, topic and role (construction worker, manager, or employer)
Regional Mental Health and Substance Use Supports
- Fraser Health: Call 604-951-8855 for crisis support or 1-833-866-6478 for the Fraser Health Access Line: Mental Health and Substance Use, or visit the list of Mental Health and Substance Use services.
- Interior Health: Call 310-MHSU (6478) to reach your local MHSU support team.
- Island Health: Find your local MHSU support team.
- Vancouver Coastal Health: Find your local MHSU support team.
- Northern Health: Find your local MHSU support team.
Information about the Toxic Drug Supply
- Get up-to-date info about the toxic drug crisis from the BC Centre for Disease Control.
- Learn about medetomidine, a non-opioid drug linked to drug poisoning deaths.
- Find drug-checking sites, naloxone kits and more at TowardtheHeart.com.
Print materials
Want to help get the word out about supports at your worksite?
- Order print materials, including:
- LifeguardConnect App (for trades) posters
- Naloxone (for trades) posters
- ‘Find Help in BC’ (for trades) wallet cards
- HelpStartsHere.gov.bc.ca posters
- Opioid Treatment Access line posters
- Access Central (addictions care) posters
- Tailgate Toolkit resources
Resources
Showing 6 Resources
Lifeguard App
Provides a free phone app that brings emergency responders to people who may be having an overdose on drugs while alone. Provided in partnership with regional health authorities and Lifeguard Digital Health.
The app is activated by the user before they take their dose. If the user doesn't hit a button after a set amount of time, a text-to-voice call will go to 9-1-1, alerting emergency medical dispatchers of a possible overdose.
BC Take Home Naloxone Program
Provides an online listing of Take Home Naloxone sites in BC. Naloxone kits are available, at no cost, for people who use opioids and people who are likely to witness and respond to an overdose. Toward the Heart also provides naloxone and harm reduction information and resources.
Naloxone is a medication that reverses the effects of an overdose from opioids such as heroin, methadone, fentanyl, and morphine. See website to locate a Take Home Naloxone site near you.
Opioid Treatment Access Line
Provides confidential and same-day access to opioid agonist treatment medication for people throughout BC with opioid use disorder to prevent withdrawals, reduce cravings and the risk of overdoses.
People can call the access line to speak with a doctor or nurse over the phone who can prescribe the medication and offer connections to supports in the community.
Access Central (Addictions Care in BC)
Access Central is the front door to publicly funded addictions care in your region. It’s open seven days a week, but hours are different in different locations, so check the times before calling.
Tailgate Toolkit
The Tailgate Toolkit Project is aimed at increasing access to harm reduction for those working in the construction industry.
Pain Support Line
Offers free information and support by phone, text or email to people wanting to talk about their own pain or that of a family member or friend. Trained volunteers provide a safe space to talk about pain and its impact on life, as well as information on pain and self-management, finding a physician, and community resources such as health care, social services, and income assistance.