What harm reduction supply names will be changed?

The scope of the standardization includes only provincial harm reduction supplies distributed by the Ontario Harm Reduction Distribution Program (OHRDP). It does not include local supplies such as needles and syringes.

Why are the supply names changing? What are the benefits of this change?

The supply names are changing as part of ongoing data quality improvement practices to strengthen the quality and consistency of data collected across all harm reduction programs in Ontario. For more details, please review the previous communication Upcoming Ontario Harm Reduction Database Changes.

Why are there more supplies on my transaction screen now?

The entire list of provincial harm reduction supplies available from OHRDP will now be displayed on all NEP transaction screens, even though a site may not hand out all these supplies. Part of the database standardization work is to provide a consistent harm reduction supply listing across all sites.

Can we still make changes to our transaction screens?

Sites will not be able to modify or remove the standard list of provincial harm reduction supplies. Sites will continue to add local supplies such as needles through requests submitted via the ONHRDB Service Desk.

What if we want to keep the street name of a supply in ONHRDB to match the language used in our community?

The standardization work does not allow for community-specific naming of supplies within the database. While we recognize that each community may refer to supplies differently, it is important from a provincial data quality perspective that there is consistency in all supply names across all sites when reporting distribution of harm reduction supplies. This serves to eliminate any confusion that could arise from a supply being referred to by multiple names.

Can we still refer to supplies as their street names when serving clients?

Yes, absolutely. But please ensure that frontline staff are trained and familiar with the standardized names to avoid potential data entry errors. Local terms for supplies can still be used on internal forms, though we recommend having these names in brackets besides the standardized names.

Why can’t I find a supply?

It is possible the supply is now located in another category. Prior to standardization, some sites requested supplies to appear in specific categories. Supplies will now belong to only one category. Please refer to Appendix A: Provincial Harm Reduction Supplies – Standard Supply Names (in the Standardization of OHRDP Supplies-08-2022 communication) for a listing of all changes made to supply names or contact CAMH via the ONHRDB Service Desk if you still have questions.

Will our ministry reporting requirements change as a result of the standardization?

There are no changes to your reporting requirements at this time. Any future changes to ministry reporting requirements will be communicated by MOH prior to the changes taking place.

Will data in our reports and historical data be affected?

There will be no impact to annual NEP reports as a result of the standardization. 

All data, including the historical data, will continue to be rolled up to the appropriate category in the Harm Reduction Outreach Program report, as applicable. You may note some of the rolled-up supply names have changed to reflect the standardization.

Will this affect the kits we give out?

All provincial harm reduction supplies available from OHRDP included in local kits will reflect the updated supply name, but the quantity attached to each supply in the kit remains as it was. For example, if your kit included a quantity of 5 Tourniquets/Ties, the kit would now reflect a quantity of 5 Tourniquets. Please review the included in your kits and verify that they align with the supplies actually contained in them. Please contact the ONHRDB Service Desk to make any necessary changes to your kits.

What if I notice the wrong colour straw or baggie in my kits?

Please contact the ONHRDB Service Desk to request the change and CAMH will be happy to assist. In the case of straws, it was not possible for CAMH to know what colour of straws were distributed in kits when a generic supply of Straws was used to track distribution. In this case, CAMH has replaced the generic straws in kits with blue straws. Please contact the ONHRDB Service Desk to make any necessary changes to the straw colours in your kits. It is the responsibility of the site to verify that the correct colour of straws and baggies are listed in kits, and to contact the ONHRDB Service Desk if a change needs to be made.

Who do I contact if I have more questions?

For questions about these changes or the MOH reporting requirements, please contact:

Please contact CAMH to address any supply discrepancies that you may notice or if you have any questions regarding the standardization through the ONHRDB Service Desk.