The characteristics and experiences of parents accessing prescribed safer supply in BC, 2020-2021

Objectives In 2020, British Columbia implemented prescribed safer supply (PSS) to reduce harms associated with the toxic drug supply. Evidence is emerging on these programs; however, no studies to date have focused on exploring the experiences of parents accessing or attempting to access PSS, including differences between parents and non-parents in reported barriers. Methods This mixed-methods study used data from a cross-sectional survey (n = 353) with people who had received or were seeking PSS recruited between October 2020–2021. Semi-structured interviews were completed with a subset of survey respondents (n = 16) who reported having children under age 19. We conducted a descriptive analysis of survey data on barriers to care, and a secondary thematic analysis of interviews on parents’ experiences of PSS informed by an ecological model. Results Among 353 recruited, 31.4% of participants reported having a child under age 19. All participants reported barriers to PSS; however, parents were more likely to report being too busy compared to non-parents (41.4% vs. 25.4%, p  = 0.003). Ecological themes describing parents’ experiences of PSS reflected: (1) unique interpersonal motivations for accessing PSS, such as to participate in children’s lives and protect them from potential harms and (2) parenting-associated policy barriers, including fear child welfare reports and competing time demands. Discussion Parents reported unique interpersonal motivations and policy challenges when accessing PSS. These findings highlight the need to address stigmatizing, punitive responses to families experiencing substance use and support approaches that are parent-centered and inclusive of the family across a continuum of care.