Pubdate: Tue, 22 Mar 2016
Source: Toronto Star (CN ON)
Copyright: 2016 The Toronto Star
Contact:  http://www.thestar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/456
Author: Jennifer Pagliaro
Page: GT2

BOARD OF HEALTH BACKS SUPERVISED INJECTION PLAN

Community Consultation to Incorporate Three Clinics Begins As Early 
As Next Month

Toronto's board of health has endorsed a plan for supervised 
injection services, launching a public consultation for three 
proposed sites at the urging of community health advocates.

That consultation is expected to get underway as early as next month, 
as the board heard the latest numbers of rising overdose deaths - up 
from 206 in 2013 to 252 in 2014.

"The unanimous endorsement of the medical officer of health's 
recommendations to move forward towards supervised injections 
services in this city is good for public health and good for public 
safety," said Councillor Joe Cressy, who chairs the Toronto Drug 
Strategy Implementation Panel, after the vote.

Dr. David McKeown, the medical officer of health, said the growing 
trend of overdose deaths and opioid use highlights the need to treat 
injection drug use as a public-health issue and the related overdose 
deaths as preventable.

The board approved recommendations in McKeown's report Monday to 
start consulting local communities and other stakeholders, including 
the police, about the plan to incorporate supervised injection 
services into three existing clinics, on Queen St. W., next to 
Yonge-Dundas Square and in Leslieville.

Those consultations are a mandatory part of applying for exemption 
from the federal government under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.

That feedback and a further report are expected to return to the 
board and then council this July before applications would be 
submitted to Ottawa.

Officials from the proposed sites at the South Riverdale Community 
Health Centre and the Queen West Central Toronto Community Health 
Centre say they are already planning multiple open houses from April 
through May.

The board heard from 25 speakers Monday afternoon, many who work in 
harm reduction and health care, who all unanimously supported 
supervised injection services.

"I'm here because I believe a community is judged by how it treats 
its most vulnerable members," said Leslieville resident Leslie 
Middaugh, who is on the board of South Riverdale clinic and a mother 
of four children under the age of 10.

"I moved to Leslieville because it was an inclusive and diverse 
community and I believe that a . . . social program like a supervised 
injection site will affirm the value of inclusiveness and compassion 
in Leslieville."

Dr. Sarah Eckler, a family physician at the Queen West clinic, said 
in her outreach she's seen the "dark rooms" and back alleyways where 
drug users go to inject.

She said offering a safe place to inject will prevent infection and 
risk of overdose while also providing access to treatment and other 
counselling services their community centre provides.

"You have to meet people where they're at," she said.

Some speakers quickly truncated their speeches, realizing the 
overwhelming support in the room.

Dr. Doris Grinspun, CEO of the Registered Nurses' Association of 
Ontario, scrapped her speech entirely after hearing from the mother 
who lost her daughter to injection drug use. "How many more lives do 
we need to lose before something can be done?" she asked the board, 
saying the nurses she represents are overwhelmingly in support of 
supervised injections. "The time to move is now."

McKeown said there is a "sense of urgency" to move ahead with these 
sites as people continue to die of overdose but stressed the local 
communities will be heard at consultations.

He has said the earliest applications could be submitted is this fall.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom