View Supervised Injection Services Community Consultations Report [2]
SIS are provided at legally operated indoor facilities where people can come to inject their own drugs under safer conditions and supervised by trained workers. SIS are a harm reduction strategy, aimed at keeping people alive, safe, and healthy, even if they continue to use drugs. It gives them an opportunity to get treatment when they are ready. Some examples of harm reduction strategies are using a nicotine patch instead of smoking, needle syringe programs, or giving out naloxone kits to prevent overdoses.
Benefits of SIS include1,2,3:
Locally in Windsor and Essex County (WEC), we are facing increased illnesses and deaths related to the use of opioids and other drugs:
SIS have been shown to address these public health issues and promote public safety. An exemption for medical purposes under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act for activities at a supervised consumption site can be made by Health Canada, if there is a demonstrated need.
As part of the greater Windsor-Essex Community Opioid & Substance Strategy [3], community organizations are having conversations about SIS. No decisions have been made about providing SIS in Windsor.
Overdose prevention sites (OPS) are temporary sites that can operate for 3 – 6 months. These sites provide supervised injection, harm reduction supplies, and naloxone. They were developed in response to the opioid crisis because of the immediate need for health services to prevent illnesses and deaths related to drug use. OPS give communities time to plan and consult about more long-term solutions to addressing the needs of people who use drugs.
Supervised consumption services (SCS) are part of a long-term harm reduction approach. They are provided at legally sanctioned sites that can operate for longer, and offer more comprehensive services and education for people who use drugs than an OPS does. These include basic health services, testing for infectious diseases, and referrals to health and social services, such as treatment, rehabilitation and housing services. People who are ready to stop or want to reduce their drug use can also come and get support at these sites.
Supervised injection services (SIS) refer specifically to injectable drugs and are services provided at SCS. SCS includes all methods of consumption, including by injection, through the nose, and by mouth.
In fall of 2018, after a review of SCS and OPS, the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care announced a new model, Consumption and Treatment Services (CTS), to replace SCS and OPS models. This model offered the same services, but emphasized the need for community consultation, availability of health and social services, and ongoing monitoring and reporting.
More information here [4] regarding SCS, SIS, and OPS and here [5] regarding CTS
No, there has not been a decision to offer SIS. There has been conversation among community partners about SIS. Before an exemption can be applied for, extensive assessment and planning is required. The purpose of this community consultation is to get feedback from the community to see if there is a need, what these services should look like, if potential clients would use such services, and if there are any concerns about SISs and how to address them. Tell us what you think by participating!
This is a common concern, and, as such, a lot of research was done on this from SIS operating in Canada, Europe, and Australia. There is currently no evidence of increased drug-related crime related to the operation of SIS in Europe and Canada. It is an important consideration when discussing SIS.
Yes, there are. Substance use is complex, and, as such, requires more than one approach. Looking at SIS as an option is only one part of a larger and comprehensive approach to substance use in Windsor [3]. Community partners are working together to address prevention and education, other harm reduction strategies, treatment and recovery, and enforcement and justice related to opioid use. Some of these strategies include:
References:
Links
[1] mailto:jdiep@wechu.org
[2] https://www.wechu.org/reports/supervised-injection-services-community-consultations-report
[3] https://www.wechu.org/reports-and-statistics/windsor-essex-community-opioid-strategy-action-plan-our-community
[4] https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/substance-use/supervised-consumption-sites/explained.html
[5] https://news.ontario.ca/mohltc/en/2018/10/ontario-government-connecting-people-with-addictions-to-treatment-and-rehabilitation.html
[6] https://doi.org/10.1007/s11904-017-0363-y
[7] https://www.wechu.org/about-us/reports-and-statistics/opioid-misuse-windsor-essex-county
[8] https://www.wechu.org/tags/needle-syringe-programs
[9] https://www.wechu.org/tags/safe-needle-disposal
[10] https://www.wechu.org/tags/harm-reduction
[11] https://www.wechu.org/tags/naloxone
[12] https://www.wechu.org/tags/opioids
[13] https://www.wechu.org/tags/hepatitis-c
[14] https://www.wechu.org/tags/hivaids
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