LGBT Communities and Substance Use - What Health Has to Do With It!: A Report on Consultations with LGBT Communities

A detailed report prepared by the LGBT Health Association of BC in partnership with the LGBT Population Health Advisory Committee and the Vancouver/Richmond Health Board. Community consultation, focus groups, and a review of existing research are used to assess the needs of substance users in LGBT communities. A community development approach to consultation was used to identify the needs of the community and develop more responsive and effective services. The report includes: a detailed description of the methodology used and the characteristics of the population; a section on prevention that borrows from the four pillars approach to drug problems in Vancouver; a section on treatment that focuses on issues of availability and accessibility; and a discussion of the programs and services currently available. The report also presents participant responses to issues of harm reduction and enforcement. An appendix lists all eighteen recommendations found in the report.