Local overdose prevention site remains in limbo
A cap of centres across Ontario at 21 spurs fears Windsor will be left without
Any community that gets “serious” about opening a ministry-backed overdose prevention site in Ontario — including Windsor — should have its wishes honoured, said the head of Ontario’s nurses association.
“We are talking about the lives of family members, neighbours, co-workers,” said Doris Grinspun, CEO for the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario, which includes 41,000 members. “This is not a game or about personal values. This is about saving lives and opening the window for people to receive (addiction) treatment. “No community should lose hope or lose faith for pushing for what you deserve.” Ontario’s Minister of Health and Long-Term Care Christine Elliott announced on Monday the existing 16 overdose prevention sites in Ontario would be allowed to continue operations, but now under the banner of Consumption and Treatment Services.
Such sites allow drug users to inject in front of professional healthcare workers who can apply first aid in the event of an overdose. The sites also provide information to help users receive treatment to address their addictions. Under Elliott’s plan, the centres will continue with overdose prevention services and provide users addiction treatment, but will also soon focus on housing and employment supports.
A pair of local agencies submitted an application to the health ministry early this year to open an overdose prevention site in Windsor because of the growing crisis of opioid and crystal meth addiction. But after the election of Premier Doug Ford, the program was put on hold in June pending further study by Elliott.
Elliott has indicated that the existing 16 overdose prevention sites must reapply to continue operations. But she also indicated there will be a cap of centres across the province at 21 — creating fears that Windsor will be left without. Michael Brennan, executive director of the AIDS Committee of Windsor, said there remain many unknowns for Windsor.
His agency made the joint application to open a site locally with the Windsor Essex Community Health Centre. The closest existing overdose prevention site is currently in London. Following Monday’s announcement by Elliott, Brennan reached out to the health ministry. He is hopeful to get answers within a few days on the status of the local site application and the next steps in the process.
In 2017, there were 188 emergency-room cases in Windsor directly linked to opioid overdose including 35 fatalities, he said. “Our community needs to have access to evidence-based care that saves lives and can connect people to treatment services,” Brennan said.
“There is frustration in the community. It is difficult for people locally, especially peers, who see people pass away from opioid-related overdose. Our agency continues to advocate. The numbers show ( Windsor) is 1.5 times higher than the provincial average for opioid-related overdose.” Local MPP Lisa Gretzky (NDP— Windsor-West) on Tuesday expressed fears that Windsor could be left on the outside when it comes to securing an overdose prevention site.
“Even if Windsor is among the 21, you are going to have other municipalities elsewhere not get the
I’m fully supportive. It’s proven these sites are working, are important and saving lives. The need is increasing.
services they need,” she said. “I’m fully supportive. It’s proven these sites are working, are important and saving lives. The need is increasing and we can’t just pretend (addictions) are not happening or toss blame around.” The sites also help keep used needles off the street, away from school yards and people’s backyards, since they can instead be disposed of safely at the site, Gretzky said.
She said addictions are not just an issue of using drugs, but often a case of what led them to that point — such as “domestic violence, child abuse or an injury that led to a prescription and then a person quickly becoming dependent on opioids.”
Gretzky, who lives close to downtown, said the issue of addictions is no longer “a downtown problem,” but all across the city where needles are being found, people are in distress after using drugs or dealing with overdoses.
“We need to understand they are not just addicts, these are human beings who have people who care greatly about them and would be devastated if they were to overdose and die,” Gretzky said.