Youth Substance Use Supports

The program provides a wide range of services: individual and/or group counselling and parent/caregiver support, referrals for other services including detox and live-in/bed-based residential treatment, substance use information, education, parent groups, and prevention and health promotion services for schools and the community.

We believe that substance use affects all walks of life and that problematic substance use is the result of a complex interaction between biological, psychological, spiritual, and social factors unique to each individual. We offer a supportive atmosphere, where youth are invited to explore drug and alcohol-related issues and consider options for a healthier lifestyle.

This program is funded by the Fraser Health Authority and free for people who live in the Tri-Cities, Anmore, or Belcarra

Who qualifies for service?

Youth aged 12-24 and their families concerned about their own substance use or the substance use of someone close to them.

If the individual is 12-18, stay on this page for more information below.

If you are 19-24 years old click here.

Who can complete a referral for youth 12-18 years old?

The most important piece about the referral is that the youth is informed about the referral and also provides their consent for the referral.

• A youth themselves can self-refer.
• A parent or caregiver (if a parent/caregiver refers, they will be offered support via the intake worker. The support offered will be separate from the youth’s counsellor, as not to interrupt confidentiality and the youth’s relationship with their counsellor)
• A supportive adult in the youth’s life, such as a counsellor, a family member, a teacher, youth worker, etc.

How to do a referral?

Our Youth Substance Use Services have different referral processes for 12-18 year old’s than for 19-24 year old’s.

If you are 12- 18 years old or an adult who would like to refer a youth who is 12-18 years (with their permission):

Call intake at 604.937.6969 or email intake@sharesociety.ca to initiate a referral.

If you are 19-24 years old click here.

What if I need interpretation?

Interpretation is available, please make a request for an interpreter during the intake or at any point you feel it is needed.

What will happen once I make a referral for a youth 12-18 years old?

Once your intake form has been sent, please expect a call within 2 business days from one of our intake workers with some further questions and to book an appointment.

The intake workers will schedule a service planning meeting where the youth will meet with one of our two counsellors to complete some initial “get to know you” paperwork.

How does counselling work during the pandemic?

Clients are given the option for phone or zoom counselling. If phone or zoom does not work for the client, they may be given the option of in-person sessions at our Clarke location, and will be required to do a covid-19 screening and follow covid-19 protocols during their visit.

What does it mean to “consent to service”?

We require informed consent from you to proceed with services. Before you consent to services, we will review your rights, your responsibility and confidentiality. We will make sure to answer all questions to the best of our ability to ensure that.

What are my rights are as a client?

You have a right to receive confidential service, to be free of abuse, exploitation, humiliation and neglect and to be treated with respect at all times. Further, you have a right to access any information that we have about you. If at any time you believe that your rights are not being respected, we encourage you to connect with your counsellor or other SHARE staff indicated on your consent to service form.

What does confidentiality look like between me and my counsellor?

Confidentiality will be talked about at your first appointment with your counsellor. Materials on Information Sharing within Mental Health and Substance Use in BC (click here to view PDF)

For more information:

For any questions, or to begin the referral process, please call our Front Desk at 604.540.9161 and press 1.

If you have any questions regarding the YSUS Counselling Program, please feel free to contact Substance Use Services Programs Supervisor Zdeno Rusnak, at 604.540.9161 ext. 522 or zdeno.rusnak@sharesociety.ca.

Location: SHARE Family & Community Services – Clarke Office
2615 Clarke Street

Service Hours: Monday 8:30 to 7:00, Tuesday to Thursday 8:30 to 9:00 and Friday 8:30 to 3:30.

There are several services that you can access without a referral, these include:

Detox/ Withdrawal Management Services
Fraser Health - Adult and Youth

• Creekside Withdrawal Management Centre - 13740 94A Avenue, Surrey, 1-888-587-3755

Vancouver Coastal Health – Youth only

• Directions Youth Detox - (for youth age 21 and under), 1138 Burrard St., Vancouver, 1-866-249-6884

In partnership with Tri-Cities schools and community, the Youth Substance Use Services Health Promotion program provides free prevention and health promotion initiatives that assist in identifying and changing personal and environmental factors that influence youth and support them in adopting and enhancing healthy behaviours’, attitudes and connections to family and community. Prevention services include but are not limited to: Brief screening/ referrals/consultation; committee work; groups; youth lead special events; presentations; professional training; and community development work.

Health Promotion/Prevention seeks to increase drug literacy, enhance skills and competencies that protect against problem use, delay early onset of first use and reduce harms associated with use. This program is informed by best practices and current research in prevention/health promotion, which supports building the capacity for the resilience that already exists in youth. Our focus is on three main protective factors to build capacity:

1. Caring, connected relationships within which they feel a sense of belonging.
2. Opportunities to participate and contribute in the lives of others and their community;

The above two converge to support youth in:

3. Developing high self-expectations and personal standards (connection to aspirations, commitments, core values, what matters most, what I stand for…)

The resiliency approach is developmental and the focus is not on risk but on learning and modelling.

This program is funded by the Fraser Health Authority.

Our Health Promotion Facilitators:

• Sabrina Hayward – sabrina.hayward@sharesociety.ca
• Jordyn Sinkie – jordyn.sinkie@sharesociety.ca

How to get more information

If you have any questions regarding the Health Promotion & Prevention Program, please feel free to contact Substance Use Services Programs Supervisor Zdeno Rusnak, at 604.540.9161 ext. 522 or zdeno.rusnak@sharesociety.ca.

Please call the program supervisor at 604.937.6990

Location: This program provides services in SD43 middle and high schools as well as the Tri-Cities community.

Office hours: Monday – Friday 8:30am-4:30pm *Due to Covid-19, hours may differ

What exactly is a YOLO event?

YOLO (Youth Offering Listening Opportunities) is an event in which adults listen to youth speak about what it’s like to be a youth in today’s world in order to support parents/caregiver's understanding of their own youth. Currently, we are running our YOLO events virtually via ZOOM and have 12 spots for parent/caregiver participants per event.

Some topics could be (but are not limited to):

• How can I talk with my youth about substances?
• How come youth use substances?
• How can I improve communication with my youth?
• How can I share my worries without shutting my youth down?

What does the YOLO process look like?

• In YOLO events, parents/caregivers and youth are brought together for an evening in which parents/caregivers sit and listen to youth have a dialogue responding to questions they have contributed prior to the event
• Prior to the YOLO event, youth participants meet with our youth facilitators to collaboratively develop a community agreement that keeps everyone safe and respected so you can share your thoughts, opinions and experiences, as you feel comfortable.
• Parents/Caregivers/Professionals are required to have a prep call with a YOLO facilitator prior to the event.

For parents/caregivers/professionals:

• We will post regular event updates on the website and also on our social media @sharesociety on Instagram.
• Parents, caregivers and professionals wishing to attend will require a private space and a device for ZOOM.
• If you would like to join our distribution email list for future Youth Substance Use Services related events, such as YOLO, email sabrina.hayward@sharesociety.ca or jordyn.sinkie@sharesociety.ca

For youth:

Are you a youth who is interested in sharing your thoughts and ideas with parents/caregivers and professionals on what it is like to be a youth in 2021?

At SHARE Family & Community Services we are offering a safe space for youth to have their voices heard.

Youth will receive an honorarium of $10 for participating in the YOLO prep night and $20 for participating in the YOLO event – this is a token of our appreciation for your involvement.

Youth can request references and have their hours participating in YOLO count toward required student volunteer hours for school.

Youth will require a private space and a device for ZOOM.

If you have any questions or would like to sign up to participate please contact:

• Sabrina Hayward, Health Promotion Facilitator: sabrina.hayward@sharesociety.ca
• Jordyn Sinkie, Health Promotion Facilitator: jordyn.sinkie@sharesociety.ca

The journey of parenting can have many highs and lows. This is especially true when faced with the task of caring for a teenager. In this group, participants will:

• Increase their knowledge about substance use
• Find support from other parents/ caregivers
• Build skills in effective communication
• Learn to manage tough emotions
• Foster healthier life balance

Topics may include:

• Adolescent Brain Development
• Substance Use Continuum
• Stages of Change
• Parenting Approaches Through the Stages of Change
• YOLO (Youth Offering Listening Opportunities) Event
• Attachment, Connection and Relationship
• Effective Communication
• Boundaries & Limit Setting
• Managing Conflict
• Self-Care
• Identifying and Living by our Parenting Values

Due to COVID-19, in-person groups are not currently running. At this time, virtual groups are not in session. Email intake (intake@sharesociety.ca) to ask for more information about events and groups for parents/caregivers.

Our humble disclaimer - we offer the following resources to ALL parents and youth who access the YSUS program - we treat this like First Aid in that we may not necessarily anticipate needing to use CPR or the Heimlich, but if a situation arises in which we do, we all best be prepared! It is to be noted that you cannot use Naloxone on yourself, and thus having the knowledge allows a person to be in support of others in their life, but does not support that individual’s safety. Thus, sharing this knowledge amongst the community is the best way to support overdose response. To be clear - there is no research speaking to overdose risk with folks who use cannabis only. Having said that, we are in an overdose epidemic and we feel it is our program’s responsibility to destigmatize overdose and educate all we can about the life-saving basics that may be useful in any environment in the current landscape.

To learn more about the overdose crisis in BC here.

Naloxone information, education and training options:
Find more information about Naloxone and view a short 4 minutes training video here.

NaloxHome - NaloxHome provides students and communities with education on signs of an overdose, stigma, naloxone, and how to keep each other safe. As a youth-led initiative, NaloxHome is proud to be made up of 18-25-year-olds eager to make a change and end the stigma against overdose.

Training and certificate here.

Where to find Naloxone and other harm reduction supplies:
Naloxone can be picked up at a pharmacy. You can find sites that distribute Naloxone and other harm reduction supplies here.

Signs of an overdose:
Know the signs of an overdose.

The Good Samaritan Act:
“People who call 9-1-1 at the scene of an overdose and help someone experiencing an overdose have some legal protection under the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act.” Learn about the Good Samaritan Act here.

Find Supervised Consumption Sites and Overdose Prevention Sites here.

The Lifeguard App: a versatile smartphone app that automatically connects a user to emergency responders if the user becomes unconscious or unable to function. Importantly, Lifeguard App, using the even platform technology, arms the emergency responders with information critical to the success of emergency intervention. Download Lifeguard App today on iOS or Android.

Grief support and bereavement:

Cross Roads Hospice - For those seeking support following the loss of a loved one to overdose.

Tri-Cities Overdose Community Action Team (TC CAT)

The Tri-Cities Overdose Community Action Team operates within the Tri-Cities to address the overdose crisis. For updates or inquiries, follow their social media here:

Facebook: TCCAT TriCities Overdose Community Action Team

Instagram: @tricitiescat

See the Youth Action Team art project and community resource page here:

If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 9-1-1

Are you in crisis?

Call the Fraser Health crisis line:

604-951-8855 or 1-877-820-7444 (toll-free)

Trained volunteers provide emotional crisis support, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Get Help Now

Text Kids Help Phone -To start using the text service, text CONNECT to 68686

Online chat visit youthinbc.com

START: The Short Term, Assessment, Response, Treatment (START) Team provides confidential mental health crisis intervention services for children and teens. Call 604 949 7765 for more information, visit their website

These are some of our favourite resources!

1. The Foundry - Health and wellness resources, services and supports for young people ages 12-24 and their caregivers.
2. Teen Mental Health – Resources for adults and youth
3. Anxiety Canada
4. Youth In BC – Youth Crisis Line/Chat and resource hub
5. Here to Help: Mental health and substance use information you can trust
6. Kelty Mental Health Resource Centre
7. Mindshift App - MindShift is a free app designed to help teens and young adults cope with anxiety.
8. What's Up ? - A Mental Health App - What’s Up is an app designed to provide helpful tools for managing depression. Download the app from the Apple Store or Google Play.
9. Breathr App - Breathr offers simple ways to explore mindfulness and learn about benefits for your mind, body and relationships.

These are some of our favourite resources!

1. Book: Beyond Addiction: How Science and Kindness Help People Change by Jeffry Foote, Carrie Wilkens & Nicole Kosanke, with Stephanie Higgs
2. Article: The Relationship Approach: What it Is and What It Will Give You – this is a chapter in a older book entitled Parent-Teen Breakthrough: The Relationship Approach by Mira Kirshenbaum & Charles Foster
3. Workbook: Recognizing Resilience: A Workbook for Parents and Caregivers of Teens Using Substances
4. Video: Talking With Youth About Substance Use: Paying Attention-Relationship or Behaviour
5. Book: Parenting Through The Storm: by Anne Douglas
6. The Foundry - Health and wellness resources, services and supports for young people ages 12-24 and their caregivers.
7. Kelty Mental Health Resource Centre
8. Family Smart: Support for children, youth and families facing mental health challenges
9. Here to Help: Mental health and substance use information you can trust

These are some of our favourite resources!

1. SHARE’S Top 10 for Talking with Youth About Substance Use – A resource for School Professionals.
2. Talking Pot with Youth: A Cannabis Communication Guide for Youth Allies
3. iMinds – “a collection of resources for schools related to substance use and gambling. The lesson ideas fit well within the scope of BC’s K-12 curriculum with its emphasis on core and curricular competencies.”
4. The Foundry – for School Professionals - Foundry offers resources and tools to help people working in school communities learn more about mental health and support student mental wellness in a variety of ways.
5. Fraser Health Mental Health and Substance Use Services - Find mental health and substance use services.
6. Kelty Mental Health Resource Centre
7. Here to Help: Mental health and substance use information you can trust
8. NaloxHome - NaloxHome provides students and communities with education on signs of an overdose, stigma, naloxone, and how to keep each other safe. As a youth-led initiative, NaloxHome is proud to be made up of 18-25-year-olds eager to make a change and end the stigma against overdose.

bc211.ca or dial or text 211 from any phone (150+ languages) – 211 connects you to programs and service in your community - https://youtu.be/Ti_ifVV16H4

Fraser North Community Services - Directory

Tri-Cities Local Immigration Partnership - “New to the Tri-Cities” Resource List