The Stimulating Conversations project, completed in 2023, took a detailed approach to understanding the role of trauma and sex, gender, and intersectional factors in the use and treatment of methamphetamine. The project integrated research evidence, best practices in the field, and knowledge from practitioners working within settings ranging from harm reduction drop-in, withdrawal management support, brief outpatient substance use interventions, drug courts, and day and live-in treatment. Informed by these knowledge sources, we created resources to facilitate the application of evidence-based, and sex-, gender-, trauma-, and equity-informed approaches to improving treatment responses to methamphetamine use. These resources were created with the intention to be adaptable and applicable to multiple treatment response settings serving people who use stimulants.

There are clear opportunities for developing more tailored responses to methamphetamine use, and we hope the resources developed in this project help to spark conversations and are supportive of practice.

Info Sheets and Guides:

  • What Methamphetamine Services Are Being Offered in Canada? (English or French, 2023) – In this environmental scan, sex, gender, trauma, and equity informed services in Canada are identified and briefly described.
  • Four Conversation Starters for healthcare providers to use among staff to brainstorm what is already being done and what changes can be made to better serve people seeking treatment for methamphetamine use (2022):
    1. Evidence-based approaches to methamphetamine treatment – View English or French
    2. Methamphetamine use & sex and gender informed approaches – View English or French
    3. Methamphetamine use & trauma informed approaches – View English or French
    4. Mindfulness approaches for addressing substance use concerns – View English or French
  • 8 Strategies for being trauma informed at the organizational level (English or French, 2022) – This infographic describes strategies for integrating trauma informed practice at the organizational level, as we support individuals who use methamphetamine.

Journal Article:

CEWH acknowledges the financial support of Health Canada’s Substance Use and Addictions Program.