Opioid Crisis Response Task Force

Opioid Crisis Response Task Force

In December 2016, in response to the crisis, ACFP Board of Directors struck a Task Force of dedicated family physicians working directly with patients in various practice settings. The Opioid Crisis Response (OCR) Task Force and staff worked closely with membership, stakeholders, and partners to gather information on barriers, variance in care pathways, system changes required, continuing professional development needed, and the need for new initiatives that would better equip our members and colleagues to care for their patients and change the trajectory of the opioid crisis.

The vision of the Task Force was to advocate and develop strategies for minor adjustments in provision of services to drastic systemic changes that will support better and more comprehensive care for their patients and, ultimately, reverse the trajectory of the opioid crisis.

ACFP OCR Task Force Recommendations

This comprehensive reference book offers recommendations on eight system areas that can influence better care for patients with chronic pain, on opioid treatment, with opioid dependency, with opioid use disorder, or those with imminent risk of morbidity or mortality.

These recommendations along with the recommendations of the former  Minister’s Opioid Emergency Response Commission (MOERC) inspired the Primary Health Care Opioid Response Initiative (PHC ORI) – a two year, $9.5 million grant which ended March 2020.  This multi-partner initiative defined new approaches to address the opioid crisis, building competency and capacity within primary care.

Chronic Pain and Substance Use Task Force Origins

With the end of the PHC ORI in March 2020, the ACFP has secured additional funding to support the Collaborative Mentorship Network for Chronic Pain and Substance Use (CMN), a program established through the PHC ORI, for an additional three years. As a result, the OCR Task Force has evolved into the Chronic Pain and Substance Use (CPSU) Task Force to continue the work of improving the prevention, management, and treatment of chronic pain and substance use in primary care practices throughout Alberta.

Meet the CPSU Task Force

Task Force Members

Ms. Terri Potter (Chair), Executive Director, ACFP, Edmonton
Dr. Helen Bouman, Calgary
Dr. Simon Colgan, Calgary
Dr. Ted Findlay, Calgary
Dr. Christine Kennedy, Fort McMurray
Dr. Tina Korownyk, Edmonton

 

 

Dr. Jazmin Marlinga, Calgary
Dr. Yasmin Majeed, Calgary
Dr. Tally Mogus, Edmonton
Dr. Jovita Ojadi, Red Deer
Dr. Cathy Scrimshaw, Pincher Creek
Dr. Monica Wickland-Weller, Edmonton

Charter

Alberta Health, together with AHS, Zones, PCNs, AMA, ACFP and other stakeholders, is working on short term, moderate term and long-term solutions to the current opioid crisis. Primary Health Care has been identified as a source of support and solution for the volume of Opioid Dependent (OD) patients that are stable and want to transition to care in the community. The ACFP Opioid Crisis Response Task Force is a special task force formed by the Alberta College of Family Physicians.

Alberta Health, together with AHS, Zones, PCNs, AMA, ACFP and other stakeholders, is working on short term, moderate term and long-term solutions to the current opioid crisis. Primary Health Care has been identified as a source of support and solution for the volume of Opioid Dependent (OD) patients that are stable and want to transition to care in the community. The ACFP Opioid Crisis Response Task Force is a special task force formed by the Alberta College of Family Physicians.

PURPOSE

  • The Alberta College of Family Physicians (ACFP) has the opportunity and capacity to provide leadership, advocacy, education and partnership to support and implement solutions.
  • The ACFP has a strong working relationship with partners in the health care system and has been asked to contribute to the solution finding and implementation process.
  • The purpose of the Task Force will be to discuss issues and recommendations related to the opioid crisis and how it affects or can be influenced by primary care, and to inform the participation, input, and response of the ACFP and other partners representing primary care in system level work.

SCOPE

In Scope

  • A venue to discuss and gain understanding the opioid crisis from the perspective of family physicians in a frontline primary care, community setting.
  • To clarify the position and key messages of family physicians with regard to the opioid crisis and response.
  • To make recommendations and advise representatives that are working with the Federal Government, Alberta Government, Alberta Health and Alberta Health Services on a broad system wide response to the opioid crisis.
  • To advise on the ACFP approach to leadership, advocacy, communication, education and partnership initiatives in response to the crisis.

Out of Scope

  • To negotiate funding or legislative changes for family physicians caring for those with opioid dependency
  • To be accountable or responsible for the implementation of the final recommendations for opioid crisis response in primary care.

TYPE OF COMMITTEE

The ACFP Opioid Crisis Response Task Force is an advisor to the ACFP Board and leadership.

ACCOUNTABILITY

The ACFP Opioid Crisis Response Task Force will report to the ACFP Board.

MEMBERSHIP

The ACFP Opioid Crisis Response Task Force will seek to have a broad member representation including community family physicians, academic family physicians and family physicians with leadership roles within Alberta Health and Alberta Health Services. All members are required to be members in good standing with the ACFP. The Chair shall be the President or designate of the ACFP Board.

DURATION OF TASK FORCE

Task Force members will be asked to serve a minimum of one-year term and if the Task Force and/or Board of Directors deems it necessary to remain active, a second term will be recommended, and members will be asked to serve a second one-year term.

SUPPORT STAFF

The ACFP Executive Director shall be the responsible senior staff director and shall be supported by the ACFP staff team.

MEETINGS

Meetings will be called by the Chair. It is expected that the Task Force will meet monthly by teleconference or web-based meeting and have ongoing communication via email between meetings. The Task Force may wish to meet face-to-face from time to time.