Provincial help welcome news for Sudbury's 'fragmented' drug treatment system

The promise of provincial money, coupled with an Ontario-wide mayors meeting, could mean more resources to fight the growing drug use in northern Ontario.

Health and Long Term Care Minister Eric Hoskins announced that the government will distribute an additional 80,000 naloxone kits per year to organizations across the province.

Each board of health is also getting funding to add more front-line addiction and mental health workers.

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The announcement was made just a few hours before the Ontario mayors' meeting on opioids, when Hoskins was to discuss the opioid crisis with 10 Ontario mayors, including Sudbury's Brian Bigger.

"I think [the meeting] was the [provincial government's] way of showing that they do intend to listen and they do intend to include the municipalities and try to help us in any way they can," says Bigger.

Province needs to look 'upstream,' too

The Sudbury and District Health Unit has around 250 employees dedicated to many different programs and services.

However, medical officer of health, Dr. Penny Sutcliffe says there is no staff specifically dedicated to addictions outreach issues.

Although she is optimistic about the announcement, Sutcliffe says it excludes preventative measures.

"In public health, we understand it's important to look upstream and invest in prevention," she says.

"I would hope that this is part of a broader strategy that also looks at how do we prevent [drug] use in the first place. That's obviously not all within the scope of public health. It relates to prescribing practices and pain management, the availability of drugs, the enforcement aspects that all need to be part of an effective strategy," says Sutcliffe.

Sudbury's 'fragmented system' could use the help

The announcement for more mental health workers encourages Dr. Mike Franklyn, an addictions specialist in Sudbury.

He works with clients at the local harm reduction program downtown, operated by the Canadian Mental Health Association.

Franklyn says Sudbury organizations need to invest in a more integrated addictions treatment system. He sees a focus that would bring psychiatrists, psychologists and counselors together.

"Even though some of those skill sets exist within the community, none of them are available within the clinics where people have to come everyday for their medications. It's a very fragmented system," says Franklyn.

"Unless you deal with the trauma people have experienced, often in childhood that drives them to addiction, the medications only take people so far along the road to recovery."

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As for the drug kit increase from the province, Franklyn calls it a start.

"It's a good move, but 80,000 sounds like a tiny number to me, for across the province," he says.

Naloxone drug kits are available from pharmacies and addiction outreach agencies, like Reseau Access Network in Sudbury.

It is a temporary antidote that can be used for some opioid overdoses.

Franklyn says more people should be carrying them now that stronger opiates are hitting the streets.

"My vision is naloxone should be no different than condoms ... It should be in public washrooms, in schools — everybody should be carrying it."