Pubdate: Tue, 05 Apr 2016
Source: Metro (Ottawa, CN ON)
Copyright: 2016 Metro
Contact:  http://www.metronews.ca/Ottawa
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4032
Author: Emma Jackson
Page: 3

UNDERSTANDING DRUG SITES

Sandy Hill to vote on plan for supervised facility

The Sandy Hill Community Health Centre is preparing to apply for a
supervised injection site at its Nelson Street location downtown. So
what does that mean?

First of all, what is it?

Supervised injection sites provide injection drug users a clean,
supervised place to shoot up, reducing risk of overdose and disease,
according to Rob Boyd, who runs the centre's harm reduction program.
Clients bring their own drugs to the site, where a nurse monitors for
signs of overdose, delivers first aid and offers education about
supervised injection. Since the drugs are illegal, such a facility
requires a federal exemption. There are only two in Canada so far,
both in Vancouver.

How many people would use it?

Boyd said about 700 different clients used the centre's needle
exchange program last year, and he expects a "modest boost" of 10 to
20 per cent if the site is approved.

Is this really necessary?

Between 40 and 50 people die of a drug overdose in Ottawa every year,
Boyd said, and hundreds of others experience non-fatal overdoses. He
said supervised injection is emergency care that can connect clients
with other services to keep them safe and even help them quit.

"We want them, when they get (to that point), to be alive and also to
be disease free," Boyd said.

I've heard of Insite in Vancouver. Is this the same?

The Ottawa site would differ from Insite in a couple of ways. Most
importantly for nervous neighbours, it would be smaller: about 125
injections a day compared to 700.

Also, Ottawa's facility would offer an integrated service alongside
the many detox, education, and primary health care services already
available.

What's next?

The health centre's board of directors will vote on the plan in June,
and then they'll send it to political and medical stakeholders for
feedback before applying to Health Canada next fall. The centre needs
letters from the mayor and police chief, who are both opposed, but
Boyd said the federal health minister ultimately decides. The earliest
it might open is spring 2017, he said.

How can the community participate?

The centre will host consultations April 11, 18 and 25 from 6:30 to 8
p.m. at 221 Nelson St. Community groups can also book individual
presentations until mid-may.
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MAP posted-by: Matt