City health board approves urgent spending to tackle Toronto's overdose crisis
4 new health officials to focus on helping people administer potentially life-saving antidote
Toronto's Board of Health unanimously approved a plan to hire four new health workers — two nurses and two counsellors — who will be dedicated to tackling the city's overdose crisis.
Public health officials say the new employees will help save lives by training more people, including other city employees who work in public spaces, how to recognize overdoses from drugs like fentanyl and how to administer naloxone, a powerful antidote.
"This is work that's critical, it's life-saving," said Coun. Joe Cressy, moments after the vote at city hall.
City council still has to approve the $297,000 in new spending at its upcoming meetings, but Cressy said he believes there's broad support for the plan. Councillors didn't even debate the motion at the board of health meeting, which Cressy said is a sure sign that they realize the urgent danger facing Toronto drug users.
Shaun Hopkins, the manager of Toronto Public Health's needle exchange program, says family and friends of drug users will get the training, as will city employees who may come in contact with people who have overdosed.
"It's a very powerful thing for people who know someone who uses drugs to be able to know that they can help to save that person's life if they need to," Hopkins told CBC Toronto.
Naloxone, just like EpiPens, should be everywhere.- Coun. Joe Cressy
If city council approves, Toronto Public Health will hire two nurses and two counsellors to lead the training, which is part of the overdose action plan. That plan is designed to combat a growing number of overdose deaths in the city, which Hopkins calls "completely preventable."
Board of Health Chair Joe Mihevc told CBC Toronto the new positions are "absolutely critical."
He also noted the program will cost less in the future, because the province will help pay for the positions.
Cressy, meanwhile, said Toronto has reached a tipping point when it comes to the dangers of fentanyl and other powerful drugs being used on the street.
"If we don't act it will get worse," he said.
Recognizing symptoms
Hopkins said the more Torontonians that can recognize the signs of opioid overdoses — naloxone doesn't work on people who have overdosed on cocaine or consumed too much alcohol — the better, even if they can only help by calling 911.
She said the signs to look for are:
- An unconscious person who doesn't respond to loud noise or a firm touch
- Pin-point pupils
- Skin discolouration, particularly in the lips
- Slow and possibly irregular breathing
City employees will be trained to try to rouse the person and to call 911 immediately if they don't respond. At that point, if possible, the person can deliver a naloxone injection (Hopkins said Toronto Public Health eventually hopes to use a naloxone spray, instead) and perform chest compressions.
Anyone who steps in to help is also urged to stay with the person who has overdosed until help arrives.
Councillors want more naloxone kits to be handed out
Mihevc said it's one thing to equip police officers and paramedics with naloxone, but it's better to have more people looking out for drug users.
"We do have our emergency services people that do understand the crisis that's happening on our streets, but we want to expand that so our parks and rec people know, our Toronto Community Housing people know," he said.
Naloxone is now offered free at some pharmacies, but Cressy admitted the expansion of that program has been slower than city health officials would have liked.
"Naloxone, just like EpiPens, should be everywhere," he said.
"Every city agency should have naloxone. Every harm reduction user. Every opiod user. Naloxone needs to be everywhere."
The new training program is a short-term solution, Cressy said, but long-term plans to deal with the overdose crisis are expected later this spring.