App developed to assist people at risk of overdosing in Halton
Published July 13, 2021 at 4:07 pm
An app has been developed to assist people at risk of overdosing in Halton.
Within the first six months of 2020, Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) officers responded to 168 suspected drug poisonings.
According to police, one-third of those victims overdosed while they were alone and nearly one in five did not survive.
“We have been asked why we have taken a harm reduction approach to the overdose crisis in our community,” said Halton police in a release.
“The answer is simple: our goal is to prevent overdose deaths. Ultimately, a life saved today is an opportunity for recovery tomorrow.”
As a result, an app called the Brave App was developed in an effort to ensure the community is aware of the resources that are available to them as well as connect people at risk of overdosing with the help they need.
Videos
This includes an ally they can talk to, a human supporter to help them stay safe and digital monitoring technology to help them when they’re in danger.
Additionally, the app connects them with a community of overdose responders, and/or professional emergency first responders.
While this app is a tool that can be used to reduce harm to individuals, families and communities from substance use, police would like to remind the public that it is not a substitute for calling 911.
The Brave App is not affiliated with the Halton Regional Police Service and was developed independently by Brave Technology Co-op, a multi-stakeholder cooperative in Vancouver, B.C.
For more information on the Brave App, click here.
INsauga's Editorial Standards and Policies