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The city should reach out to Doug Ford’s incoming provincial government to emphasize the importance of supervised injection sites and other key social programs, according to one of the city’s leading health advocates.
“When we know who our new health minister is, I think we should make sure that some of these important social issues are brought to their attention and their opportunities for resolution and treatment,” Jeff Turnbull, medical director of Ottawa Inner City Health, said Wednesday after the Alliance to End Homelessness released its annual progress report at city hall.
Ottawa Inner City Health runs the supervised injection trailer at the Shepherds of Good Hope.
Turnbull, the former chief of staff at The Ottawa Hospital, described the profound impact of the opioid crisis in Ottawa. Staff at the supervised injection trailer deal with an average of four overdoses daily, he said.
“We’re just trying to keep people alive,” Turnbull told city councillors and representatives from social agencies who gathered for the report’s release.
It’s unclear how the Progressive Conservative government will approach supervised injection sites. Ford has expressed objection to them but has also shown a willingness to listen to experts.
“I think when the new government comes in and gets to understand many of the issues that we face on a regular basis, I’m confident that they will understand this is an important part of an overall addictions strategy,” Turnbull said. “It’s just one part, but it’s an essential part of what we’re doing.”
The Alliance’s report highlights the troubling statistics reported by the City of Ottawa in March. Emergency shelter use has increased since 2014. The number of chronically homeless families spiked between 2016 and 2017.
The opioid crisis has compelled social service agencies to provide enhanced overdose-prevention programs while continuing to help homeless people find places to live.
Deirdre Freiheit, president and CEO of the Shepherds of Good Hope, underscored the importance of having supervised injection sites in areas where drug users need them the most.
“I think it’s so needed,” Freiheit said. “I think what (Ford) has said is that he’s willing to listen to some advice from people who are in the field and working with people who are struggling with issues and requiring the services, so there’s hope. I look forward to actually having those conversations.”
Shepherds is located in the “epicentre” of the opioid crisis in Ottawa, she said.
“I think that if we didn’t have that service we would be seeing people in the community overdosing, and we did see that last summer,” Freiheit said. “Having that service there has certainly made a difference, but it’s something that’s still a challenge and it’s not going away.”
The Shepherds is in the middle of renovations to permanently house the supervised injection site, rather than having the temporary site in a trailer beside the building. Freiheit hopes to have the permanent space open in the fall.
When it comes to the larger homelessness problem, Freiheit said the collective focus should be on preventing people from becoming homeless and creating more affordable housing options.
Turnbull called on the city and agencies to be more innovative and less risk-adverse. Everyone has been working in silos, but tackling homelessness requires new partnerships across sectors, he said.
“We’ve got to get out of our usual ruts and start to take chances working with different organizations,” Turnbull said.
jwilling@postmedia.com
twitter.com/JonathanWilling
查看原文...
“When we know who our new health minister is, I think we should make sure that some of these important social issues are brought to their attention and their opportunities for resolution and treatment,” Jeff Turnbull, medical director of Ottawa Inner City Health, said Wednesday after the Alliance to End Homelessness released its annual progress report at city hall.
Ottawa Inner City Health runs the supervised injection trailer at the Shepherds of Good Hope.
Turnbull, the former chief of staff at The Ottawa Hospital, described the profound impact of the opioid crisis in Ottawa. Staff at the supervised injection trailer deal with an average of four overdoses daily, he said.
“We’re just trying to keep people alive,” Turnbull told city councillors and representatives from social agencies who gathered for the report’s release.
It’s unclear how the Progressive Conservative government will approach supervised injection sites. Ford has expressed objection to them but has also shown a willingness to listen to experts.
“I think when the new government comes in and gets to understand many of the issues that we face on a regular basis, I’m confident that they will understand this is an important part of an overall addictions strategy,” Turnbull said. “It’s just one part, but it’s an essential part of what we’re doing.”
The Alliance’s report highlights the troubling statistics reported by the City of Ottawa in March. Emergency shelter use has increased since 2014. The number of chronically homeless families spiked between 2016 and 2017.
The opioid crisis has compelled social service agencies to provide enhanced overdose-prevention programs while continuing to help homeless people find places to live.
Deirdre Freiheit, president and CEO of the Shepherds of Good Hope, underscored the importance of having supervised injection sites in areas where drug users need them the most.
“I think it’s so needed,” Freiheit said. “I think what (Ford) has said is that he’s willing to listen to some advice from people who are in the field and working with people who are struggling with issues and requiring the services, so there’s hope. I look forward to actually having those conversations.”
Shepherds is located in the “epicentre” of the opioid crisis in Ottawa, she said.
“I think that if we didn’t have that service we would be seeing people in the community overdosing, and we did see that last summer,” Freiheit said. “Having that service there has certainly made a difference, but it’s something that’s still a challenge and it’s not going away.”
The Shepherds is in the middle of renovations to permanently house the supervised injection site, rather than having the temporary site in a trailer beside the building. Freiheit hopes to have the permanent space open in the fall.
When it comes to the larger homelessness problem, Freiheit said the collective focus should be on preventing people from becoming homeless and creating more affordable housing options.
Turnbull called on the city and agencies to be more innovative and less risk-adverse. Everyone has been working in silos, but tackling homelessness requires new partnerships across sectors, he said.
“We’ve got to get out of our usual ruts and start to take chances working with different organizations,” Turnbull said.
jwilling@postmedia.com
twitter.com/JonathanWilling
查看原文...
