Funding for SCS needs to be continued

Mayor Spearman and Members of Council:

On Aug. 19, council will be hearing a motion to petition the provincial government to stop the funding for the Supervised Consumption Site.

Please consider this letter my formal objection to this motion and I urge you to vote against it. Here are my reasons:

• Since opening in February 2018, ARCHES has offered 17 different programs dealing with referrals, health care, addictions counselling, mental health services and many others.

• From Feb. 28, 2018 until July 30, 2019, there have been 9,363 total referrals for treatment, detox, housing, addictions counselling and health issues.

• 96,045 services were provided to SCS users including counselling, nursing care, cultural services, crisis intervention and many programs.

• 2,531 total medical emergencies were responded to, oxygen was administered 2,369 times, Naloxone was administered 984 times, EMS was called 398 times and 405 unique individuals received life saving interventions while experiencing a medical emergency in the SCS facility.

• Since February 2018, there have been 267,754 visits, with 663 average visits per day.

• Needle distribution has decreased approximately 70 per cent and return rates have increased 83 per cent since the opening of SCS.

• Although the city has seen an increase in crime, that increase began to rise in 2014-15, long before SCS opened.

The needle problem has dramatically improved throughout the city with the many initiatives the City and ARCHES have put in place. The City, working with approximately 16 local agencies, has strived to keep our citizens safe while at the same time saved lives since the opening of SCS.

Although I recognize that some businesses and citizens have been negatively affected by this crisis, closing down the SCS is a step backward in harm reduction and will force those presently using this site to return to the street, public and private property. What will this do to our Emergency services if people are not able to access these services through the SCS? Our city is only one of many cities and towns in our province, country and around the world who are facing this crisis. City council needs to continue to pressure the provincial government to fund detox and intox beds and supportive housing for recovering addicts.

In closing, I hope the gravity and seriousness of this issue is considered with the facts, evidence and logic and not based on emotion.

As a longtime resident and active community member, I am asking that my viewpoint be represented as you move forward on this motion. Jan Foster

Lethbridge