Pubdate: Tue, 05 Feb 2013 Source: Abbotsford Times (CN BC) Copyright: 2013 The Abbotsford Times Contact: http://www.abbotsfordtimes.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1009 Author: Rochelle Baker ABBOTSFORD MAYOR CALLS OUT FRASER HEALTH FOLLOWING HARM REDUCTION FORUM Abbotsford Mayor Bruce Banman says that Fraser Health actually weakened its case to bring needle exchange services to the city following a public forum on the issue last week. The health authority continues to balk at providing the city with more detox services, which should be a big part of any harm reduction mandate, said Banman. "They are going to save lots of money [to health care with needle exchange services], but not one thin dime will be spent on additional rehab or detox services," said Banman. "They've actually made matters worse. The council was expecting some better solution from Fraser Health than what we heard." Banman was also outraged with Fraser Health's stance that while it would like to work cooperatively with the city, it is investigating legal options to deal with the bylaw on the basis it limits the authority's right to provide health care services within the municipality. "If you want cooperation, you don't start with threats," said Banman. The mayor's comments followed the city's second forum Tuesday night, held as part of a review of Abbotsford's anti-harm reduction bylaw that bans measures such as needle exchange services. Fraser Health has repeatedly requested Abbotsford revise the bylaw to allow needle exchange services in the city, which it believes has high rates of new hepatitis C infections due to drug users re-using dirty needles or crack pipes. Four Fraser Health experts, who outlined a proposed needle distribution plan and the detox services available in the region, made up the panel at the forum. Marcus Lem, medical health officer for Fraser Health East, pointed out that needle exchange as a harm reduction measure to prevent the transmission of blood borne diseases such as Hep C and HIV is widely recognized around the world. "We need to do what we can to make things safer for people until they are ready to quit [drugs]," said Lem. There is no evidence needle exchange services encourage people to use drugs or prevents people from quitting them, he stressed. John Sutherland, chair of the city's Social Development Advisory Committee (ASDAC), told the panel that it was recommending council repeal the bylaw. "We are very much in favour of what you are proposing," said Sutherland. However, Sutherland also broached the issue of detox services in the community as a primary pillar of harm reduction and questioned whether such services were sufficient in Abbotsford. Sherry Mumford, FHA director of mental health and substance use, noted Abbotsford residents have access to the Riverstone in-home, mobile detox service, or they can go to the Creek-side withdrawal centre in Surrey. Riverstone, which can either treat people at home or in some beds allotted at King-haven or Peardonville House Society, served 621 patients in 2012. That was a greater number than were treated at Chilliwack's static treatment centre before it was closed, said Mumford. However, Warm Zone employees who work with at-risk women noted Fraser Health didn't pay for transporting clients to Creekside and the centre was "left holding the bill." Some drug users also stressed that you had to have a "home" to access Riverside services and questioned why there wasn't a detox centre at the Abbotsford Regional Hospital (ARH). Riverstone detox service does not have a wait list but Creekside centre can have a lineup for treatment ranging from two days to two weeks, said Mumford. Banman also questioned why Fraser Health, which has the right to establish needle exchange services immediately without the city's cooperation, did not set up needle exchange services at ARH. "If they feel the bylaw is so outrageous, they could be doing needle exchange at the hospital if they chose to." - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom