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About the Program
Completion requirements
Last modified: Wednesday, 03 December 2025, 1:50 PM
ADVOCATES FOR COMMUNITIES ACROSS CANADA
As Canada continues to face a growing trend of opioid-related overdose and deaths, professionals and community leaders are developing ways to respond
to the opioid crisis in out-of-hospital and community settings.
The Opioid Response & Management (ORM) training program is a purpose-driven initiative designed to empower Paramedic Service Organizations and community first responders. Each member and participant involved, aims to educate and raise awareness to reduce the stigma of substance use and addiciton, and to help prevent and respond to opioid-related emergencies across Canada.
ORM is an online training program based on the CSA Z1650:21 standard, with synchronous and asynchronous learning modules that include interactive learning activities, real-life Case Studies, and Active Group Learning.
The Opioid Response & Management training program aims to help Paramedics and Community First Responders on building an efficient Model of Care within each community, based on five sustainable pillars:
- Establish a Referral Pathway to increase process efficiency and improve access to services.
- Preparedness, distribution and instruction: Naloxone kits.
- Collaboration and Resource Management.
- Education and Community Outreach.
- Supervision of consumption and overdose prevention sites.
The program offers TWO toolboxes designed to cover specific needs - Paramedic Services and Communities. Each toolbox will provide learning modules, interactive activities, and Case Studies.
Aimed to teach how to create strategies and an efficient Model of Care for communities across Canada, the Paramedic Toolbox and the Community toolbox will provide a comprehensive approach to building more resilient communities.
Becoming a Certified Instructor allows paramedics and community advocates to deliver accurate and up-to-date training to their teams and communities.
Train the Trainer is an instructor workshop to prepare team leaders and provide the essential tools to deliver training.
What is the CSA Z1650:21 Standard?
The Canadian Standards Association, with funding support by Health Canada under
the Substance Use and Addiction Program (SUAP), developed the CSA Z1650 standard
to provide for paramedic response to the opioid crisis in out-of-hospitals and community settings.
Who is involved?
The Opioid Response & Management(ORM) training program is an collaborative initiative designed to help tackle the opioid crisis in Canada. Premergency Inc developed the training program based on the Z1651:21 standard by the Canadian Standards Association and with collaboration of the Paramedic Association of Canada.
Funded by Health Canada's Substance Use and Addicition Program(SUAP), the ORM training program is cost-free for all Paramedic Service Organizations and Community First Responders across Canada.
