Barriers and Facilitators to Implementing a First Managed Alcohol Program in Montreal, Canada
Dublin Core
Title
Barriers and Facilitators to Implementing a First Managed Alcohol Program in Montreal, Canada
Subject
Homeless persons--Alcohol use--Québec--Montréal
Electronic Resource Item Type Metadata
Journal Name
Drugs: Education, Prevention and Policy
Volume
Vol. 32
Issue
No. 6
Publication Date
2025
Publisher
Taylor & Francis
Document Type
Journal article
Language
English
ISBN
14653370
Region
Montréal, Québec, Canada
Access
Restricted Access
View Source
Abstract
Background
Indigenous people experiencing homelessness, are disproportionately affected by the health risks associated with alcohol use. Managed alcohol programs (MAPs) are interventions that address alcohol use and homelessness by providing housing and regulated doses of alcohol. While research has shown MAPs to be beneficial, little is known about their implementation. Our paper addresses this gap by exploring the barriers and facilitators to implementing a MAP for Indigenous men in Montreal, Canada.
Methods
The study follows a qualitative approach. Semi-structured and informal interviews along with questionnaires were conducted with the program’s residents, staff and medical team members. The collected data were thematically analyzed.
Results
Participants identified barriers including resistance to adhering to the individualized alcohol plan, hostile behaviours and conflicts, loss of purpose and boredom, and staff workload and turnover. The facilitators reported were teamwork, flexibility, cultural safety, and trusting relationships.
Conclusion
Our findings about certain barriers, particularly hostile behaviours and conflicts, and staff workload and turnover, remain undocumented in the literature. Certain facilitators including flexibility, trusting relationships, and cultural safety merit further exploration. In offering a detailed description of the implementation of a MAP, we hope to inform policies supporting the dissemination of similar programs in other contexts.
Indigenous people experiencing homelessness, are disproportionately affected by the health risks associated with alcohol use. Managed alcohol programs (MAPs) are interventions that address alcohol use and homelessness by providing housing and regulated doses of alcohol. While research has shown MAPs to be beneficial, little is known about their implementation. Our paper addresses this gap by exploring the barriers and facilitators to implementing a MAP for Indigenous men in Montreal, Canada.
Methods
The study follows a qualitative approach. Semi-structured and informal interviews along with questionnaires were conducted with the program’s residents, staff and medical team members. The collected data were thematically analyzed.
Results
Participants identified barriers including resistance to adhering to the individualized alcohol plan, hostile behaviours and conflicts, loss of purpose and boredom, and staff workload and turnover. The facilitators reported were teamwork, flexibility, cultural safety, and trusting relationships.
Conclusion
Our findings about certain barriers, particularly hostile behaviours and conflicts, and staff workload and turnover, remain undocumented in the literature. Certain facilitators including flexibility, trusting relationships, and cultural safety merit further exploration. In offering a detailed description of the implementation of a MAP, we hope to inform policies supporting the dissemination of similar programs in other contexts.
Cataloger
Haley Lesemann
Collection
Citation
“Barriers and Facilitators to Implementing a First Managed Alcohol Program in Montreal, Canada,” ICMGLT Digital Library, accessed November 3, 2026, https://library.icmglt.org/items/show/800.