MPP Dave Smith Announces $1,357,100 in Funding for Consumption and Treatment Services (CTS)
Consumption and Treatment Site will provide addictions treatment, harm reduction, and primary care services
February 25, 2022
Peterborough – Today, MPP Dave Smith was joined by Dr. Thomas Piggott, Medical Officer of Health and CEO of Peterborough Public Health, Donna Rogers, Executive Director of Four Counties Addictions Services Team (Fourcast), and Randy Mellow, Chief of the Peterborough County-City Paramedics to announce funding for Consumption and Treatment Services in the City of Peterborough.
Ontario will invest $1,350,000 in annual funding to operate the Consumption and Treatment Services in the Opioid Response Hub, located at 220 Simcoe Street. Together, the Opioid Response Hub and Consumption and Treatment Services will provide harm reduction, primary medial services, pathways to mental health and addictions counselling, and pathways to mobile detox services. Community partners include the Peterborough County-City Paramedics, PARN, Fourcast, the 360 Degree Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic, and the Mobile Support Overdose Resource Team (MSORT).
The Consumption and Treatment Services will offer pathways to off-site services including opiate replacement therapy; the Rapid Access Addiction Medicine Clinic (RAAM); withdrawal management (detox) and community treatment services.
Treatment Services were bolstered by $500,000 in permanent, annualized funding for Fourcast mobile withdrawal management services. The mobile withdrawal management services program funds a nurse practitioner and several specialized addictions and outreach workers to deliver primary medical care, community outreach, and withdrawal management to more individuals struggling with addiction.
The Canadian Mental Health Association – Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge also received $1,000,000 in
annualized funding to staff and operate two custom-built buses. These will serve as mobile mental health and addictions clinics. These mobile clinics will travel throughout the County of Peterborough with teams of nurse practitioners, mental health and addictions counsellors, and social workers to treat those with struggling with mental health and addictions.
“Just over three years ago I stood before our community at the mental health and addictions summit and promised my support for a comprehensive response to the addictions crisis affecting our friends, neighbours, and loved ones,” MPP Dave Smith said. “The creation of the Opioid Response Hub, mobile mental health and addictions clinics, expanded withdrawal management and outreach services and, now, Consumption and Treatment Services will save lives. There is no silver bullet though; we need more treatment services for our community. There is much more work to do. Today we take one more small step forward but our work is not done,” MPP Smith added.
“I believe that research has shown that consumption and treatment sites can be a safe and acceptable environment for people struggling with substance use, while also providing access to education, treatment, and resources that help to reduce harm, reduce suffering and save lives,” said Randy Mellow, Chief of the Peterborough County-City Paramedics. “As a paramedic, we often use an analogy of a chain of survival. The chain of survival for those suffering from addictions and substance abuse relies on the strength and connection of programs and services that are the links in the chain. Linked programs focused on prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery,” Chief Mellow added.
“The overdose crisis is an important priority in our region, and the provincial funding for this Peterborough Consumption and Treatment Site led by FourCAST and supported by the Peterborough Drug Strategy partners is a critical step to support people who use drugs in our community. This service is a key harm reduction service and will save lives,” Dr Thomas Piggott, Medical Officer of Health and CEO, Peterborough Public Health.
“This funding represents a key development in providing vital harm reduction services that our community clearly requires,” says Fourcast Executive Director, Donna Rogers. “With it, we’ll now be able to add another level of support to those affected by the opioid crisis. On behalf of Fourcast, I’d like to acknowledge the incredible support of the wider community in backing this effort to date amidst many challenges. We look forward to moving ahead with the next stage in making the Consumption and Treatment Services (CTS) site operational and helping to save lives.”
Additional Resources
Ontario Invests $500,000 to Strengthen, Expand Withdrawal Management Services in Peterborough
Roadmap to Wellness: a plan to build Ontario’s mental health and additions system
Ontario Investing $1,000,000 in New Mental Health and Addictions Clinic for Peterborough