Not 1 person has died at Hamilton YWCA's unique safer use drug space since it opened a year ago

One year in and the organizers of the YWCA's safer use drug space say they've tapped into something special.

The space offers a one-of-a-kind service in Hamilton — a supervised overnight drop-in for women, trans and non-binary people experiencing homelessness to use illicit substances.  

It's also only one of two gender-specific consumption sites in Canada, said Mary Vaccaro, a program coordinator who is also a faculty member of social work at McMaster University.

Before the space opened, the YWCA called emergency services for suspected overdoses and opioid poisonings among their clients between five and seven times a week, Vaccaro said.

But since opening the space on April 23, 2022, they've helped 205 people, haven't had to call emergency services once and have had zero deaths, she said.

Staff have successfully handled 54 drug poisonings using oxygen and monitoring, and when necessary naloxone, in the safer use drug space.

'They usually stay much longer'

Each night, the YWCA in downtown Hamilton opens its safer use drug space's doors for up to 25 women at a time, said Vaccaro.

There are two stations for them to snort, inject or ingest their substances with clean supplies. Staff encourage them to stay for 20 minutes after, in case they experience poisoning. 

"But they usually stay much longer," Vaccaro said.

The room's neatly organized, stocked with naloxone kits, art supplies and snacks, its walls adorned with colourful art and encouraging messages. A row of recliner chairs sit ready for friends to catch up, or rest. Clients have also built up a sizeable playlist over the last year. 

"We wanted to make it feel like a living room," said Vaccaro. "It prevents people from coming in and using all their drug substances at once."

It's become more than a place to use drugs, Marcie McIlveen, another of the program's coordinators. 

"It gives people a safe place to feel at home, where they're not judged. They're looked after. They're cared for," said McIlveen. "It's absolutely unbelievable."

Ready to be replicated

In Hamilton's worsening opioid crisis, the YWCA's program that ensures trained people can intervene in overdoses and save lives is "very, very positive," said paramedic chief Michael Sanderson. 

In the first quarter of this year, paramedics responded to 255 reported opioid overdoses, Sanderson said. The same time period last year, they responded to 182. 

The YWCA operates the space in partnership with the Hamilton Social Medicine Response Team and Keeping Six, which advocates for people who use drugs and where McIlveen is a supervisor. 

McIlveen said they're hoping to share the model with other community agencies so it can be replicated in shelters across Hamilton and beyond. 

Earlier this month, the city of Hamilton declared states of emergency for homelessness, mental health and opioid addiction. McIlveen said the safer use drug space is one of many services that could make a difference.

"Do we say something's an emergency and do nothing? Or do we say we're going to do something?" McIlveen said. "I don't know what that something is, but our space has not only saved lives, but helped people build lives."