WGDS: What’s New

www.wgdrugstrategy.ca acrowder@guelphchc.ca

WGDS: What’s New Check out Wellington Guelph Drug Strategy’s 2017 highlights!

InOctober,2017,theCommunityHealthVanstartedtodeliverHarmReductionsupplies,overdosepreventiontraining,naloxonekits,vaccinations,nursingcare,HepatitisCandHIVbloodtestingandsupport,accesstowintergear,hygienekitsandbasicfoodsuppliestoresidentsinDowntownGuelph.Gueststothevancanalsoreceivereferralstootheragenciesandhealthcareprovidersasneeded.Thevanisfundedbya2-yearOntarioTrilliumFoundationgrantwhichfeaturesauniquepartnershipbetweenSanguenHealthCentre,ARCHGuelphandWellingtonDufferinGuelphPublicHealth.Thevan’sservicesaredesignedtomeettheneedsofindividualswhoexperiencebarriersinaccessingtraditionalmodelsofhealthcareasaresultofsubstanceuse,mentalillness,chronichomelessnessandpoverty.Thevan’sserviceswillbeexpandedtootherareasofGuelphandtheCountyofWellingtonoverthenextyear.

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Community Health Van

Community Withdrawal Support Services (CWSS)

Rapid Access Addiction Clinic (RAAC)

WGDS Projects

In2017,WGDSpartnerorganizationslaunchedthreenewsubstancedependence/addictionservicesinGuelph-Wellington.ThisawesomeachievementmeansthatresidentsofGuelphandWellingtonCountywhorequireMobileHarmReductionServices,WithdrawalManagementServicesand/orwalk-inAddictionMedicineServicescannowaccesstheseserviceslocally.Pleasereadbelowformoredetails.

Community Health Van

SinceMarch2017,CWSShasofferednon-residentialwithdrawalmanagementservicestoresidentsofGuelph-Wellingtonlookingtowithdrawfromalcoholand/orothersubstancesinasafeandsupportivecommunityenvironment.CWSSisavailabletothose18yearsofageandolder.TheserviceisavailablethroughouttheWaterlooWellingtonLocalHealthIntegrationNetwork(WW-LHIN)andadministeredbyStonehengeTherapeuticCommunity.Followinganin-personassessment,phonesupporttocopewithbothacuteandpost-acutewithdrawalisprovided,alongwithreferralstootherservicesasneeded.Localservices,includingprimaryandacutecareproviders,areencouragedtoconsultwithCWSSregardingtheneedsoftheirpatients/clients.CWSSclientsreceivepracticalresourcesdesignedinconsultationwiththosewithlivedexperience,including:aWithdrawalComfortKit,WithdrawalFlashcardsandThePlan.ThePlanisaguideforclientsandfamilymembersregardingwhattoexpectthroughoutthewithdrawalprocess.

Community Withdrawal Support Services (CWSS)

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WGDS Projects

Rapid Access Addiction Clinic (RAAC)

TheWGDShasbeenveryactivethroughout2017rollingoutprogramsandservicesandplanningforfutureprojects.AkeyadministrativeaccomplishmentwasthecreationofnewStrategicPlan.ItreflectstheinputofWGDSpartnerorganizationswhometthroughouttheyeartocreateitscontent.ItisbothareflectionoftheworkthattheWGDShasaccomplishedinthelast5years,andablueprintforthenext5years.ThenewStrategicPlanidentifiesfour“pathways”whicharethekeyprocessesbywhichtheWGDSaddsvaluetothelocalcommunity,namely:

• ProgramDevelopment• KnowledgeMobilization• Advocacy• Education

HighlightsoftheworkaccomplishedbytheWGDSin2017areoutlinedbelow.

TheRAACisaspecializedclinicdesignedtomeettheneedsofpeoplewhoareexperiencinghealthissuesrelatedtotheirsubstanceuse.TheRAACisavailabletopeopleofallages,usinganysubstance,wholiveinGuelph-Wellington.Initialappointmentsarecurrentlyavailableonawalk-inbasisonMondays,9am-3pm,atSanguenHealthCentre,intheGuelphCommunityHealthCentre(GCHC)at176WyndhamSt.N.TheRAACwasdevelopedbythegeneroussharingofin-kindresourcesfromStonehengeTherapeuticCommunity,theGuelphCommunityHealthCentre,theGuelphFamilyHealthTeam,theCanadianMentalHealthAssociationandSanguenHealthCentre.TheWGDSledthisprojectfrominceptionthroughtothereceiptofpermanentfundingfromtheWWLHIN.ThisfundingwillexpandtheRAACserviceto2days/weekinearly2018.

Program Development Throughout2017,theWGDSwastheprojectleadfor

developingtheRAACclinic.HavingstartedtheprojectinthelateFallof2015,theWGDSproudlyhandedovertheoperationalreinsofafullyfunctioningGuelphRAACClinictoStonehengeTherapeuticCommunityintheFallof2017.ThisprojectwasanexcellentdemonstrationofthecollaborativeandcreativespiritofGuelph-Wellington’ssubstanceuse/addictionservices.Asdescribedearlierinthisnewsletter,5keyorganizationsprovidedin-kindservicesinordertopilottheRAAC.Atleast7otherorganizations,andDr.YelenaChorney,playedessentialrolesinhelpingtodevelopthisservice.ThefactthattheRAAChasoperatedatcapacityalmostsinceitopenedisatestamenttothevalueitprovidestothecommunity.

OnSeptember29th,theWGDShostedthesecondStoptheStigmaRallyatCityHall.Over150peoplecameouttoparticipateinthisexcitingeventwhichembodieditstagline,namely“SeeingtheUsinSubstanceUse”.WiththesupportoftheMayor,ChiefofPolice,andChiefofEMSServices,allofwhomwerespeakersattherally,andwiththemovingandpowerfulvoicesofmembersofthelivedexperiencecommunity,thespiritoftherallyencourageshealthequityregardingaddictionservicesandbreaksdownthestigmathatsurroundssubstanceuse.

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OnMarch1,theWGDSexhibitedaposterabouttheYouthHarmReductionProject.TheprojectwasconductedinconjunctionwithagraduateprogramintheDepartmentofSociologyattheUniversityofGuelph’scelebrationofCommunityEngagedScholarshipheldintheQuebecSt.Mall.

OnOctober14,theWGDSwashonouredtobeakeypartnerintheMayor’sForumonSubstanceUse,apublicforumregardingsubstanceusechallenges,andtheactionsbeingtakentoaddressthem,whichwasheldatCityHall.

OnNovember29th,theWGDShostedapanelpresentationandresourcefaircalledtheCannabisLegislationResourcesandReadinessProjectattheGuelphCivicMuseum.RepresentationfromtheFourPillarsoftheDrugStrategydiscussedthepotentialpositiveandnegativeimpactsoflegalizingcannabisfromalocal,municipalperspective.

OnDecember5th,theWGDShostedasessiononOpioidOverdosePreventionandFirstAid,atwhichover40localserviceproviderslearnedabouthowtodetermineiftheirrespectiveorganizationsneedanoverdosepolicyandprotocol,whatnaloxoneis,andhowtoadministerit.

Advocacy

Throughout2017,theWGDShasworkedwiththePovertyTaskForceandTowardsCommonGround,twoothercommunitycoalitions,tobringawarenesstotheneedsofhighacuityindividualsinthecommunitywhostrugglewithsubstanceuseandmentalillness.WithsupportfromtheWWLHIN,fundingforapilotprocesscalledTheRecoveryRoomhasbeenreceived.ThepilotwillcollectdataandtestservicemodelstosupporttheneedsofindividualswithconcurrentdisordersfromJanuary-Marchof2018.

OnMay31,theWGDSbroughttogetherrepresentationfromitsFourPillarmembershiptoexaminetheopioidcrisisatalocallevel.Thismeetingledtothedevelopmentof3workinggroups,allofwhichhavetakenactionto(1)collectlocaldataregardingopioiduse,(2)helppractitionerschangetheiropioidprescribingpatternsand(3)exploreprogramneedsforlocalresidentswhouseopioids.

OnAugust31,ledbymembersoftheHarmReductionWorkingGroup,theWGDShosteda‘Die-in”atSt.George’sSquaretohonourlocalcommunitymemberswhoseliveshavebeenlostfromoverdose.

InOctober,theWGDSpartneredwiththeWellingtonDufferinGuelphUnitedWayand,withthesupportoflocalmedia,releasedalettertothecommunitytohighlightlocalactionbeingtakenregardingopioiduseandmeetingtheneedsofcommunitymemberswhoexperienceopioiddependence.

Knowledge Mobilization

In2017,withsupportfromIndivior,theWGDShostedthefollowingeducationalsessionsonOpioidTaperingandSubstitutionTherapiesforhealthandprimarycareserviceprovidersthroughoutWellingtonCounty.

• GuelphFamilyHealthTeam(GFHT)nurses–Jan4,halfdaysession(25attendees)• GFHTphysicianmeeting• Feb15,GFHTphysiciansandnursepractitioners–2.5hoursession(28prescribersattended)• Communitysocialservice,healthcareandeducationworkers–March24,half-daysession(heldat

AboyneHall,120attendees)• CommunityPharmacists(co-sponsoredwithGuelphPharmacyAssociation)-March27,2-hoursession

(45attendees)• CountyofWellingtonphysiciansandnursepractitioners(co-sponsoredbyMt.ForestFamilyHealth

TeamandtheRuralWellingtonHealthcareAdvisory)-November9,1-hourinformationsession(50attendees,includingOTNsites)

OnNovember30thover55Guelph/WellingtonpharmacistsandinterestedcommunitymembersattendedasessiononMarijuanaforMedicalPurposes.ThespeakerwasDr.MariaZheng,aClinicalEducatorfromCentreforAddictionandMentalHealth(CAMH).Thissessionwasco-sponsoredbytheGuelphPharmacyAssociation,andfundedbyCanadianMentalHealthAssociationWaterlooWellington(CMHAWW),theGuelphCommunityHealthCentre,andtheGuelphFamilyHealthTeam.

Education