The CTV W5 documentary last weekend on opioid addiction in Sault Ste. Marie continues to reverberate in the community. The Sault Area Hospital is trying to get funding to upgrade its detox centre and local harm reduction workers in the city want to emphasize the work they're already doing with addicts.
Jodi McKay with Algoma Public Health works with local drug users on a daily basis.
McKay is responsible for interviewing new clients for the community alcohol and drug addictions program offered through Algoma Public Health. She says it's just one of several options for people with opioid addictions.
"We provide addiction counselling, intensive case management in the community. There's three methadone clinics available. There's Bretton House, there's Ken Brown Recovery Home." said McKay.
Last year, the public health agency started giving out naloxone kits that can help save someone who is overdosing on drugs, to those who need it.
"At first there wasn't many and then they picked up in popularity. In January, we gave out 47, which is a little bit lower than what we typically see." said Public Health Nurse Allison McFarlane.
As a direct response to the opioid addiction problem in the Sault, health organizations are coming together to open a Rapid Access Action Medicine Clinic. It will be located on East Street and opens in a couple of months.
Heather Hickey of the Sault Area Hospitalsays the clinic will be able to help clients with a lot of healthcare services.
"Helping individuals who need access to getting their prescriptions, to going to the place where the OTN appointment will occur with the physician here in the Sault. Helping them make it to appointment and meetings. So, just really working in the ground roots with those individual who would like treatment." said Hickey.
There is a demand for these services, but McKay doesn't believe the wait time to get in and get help is outrageous.
"They would call our clerical, they would do an intake on the phone and typically they are being booked an appointment the same week or two, at the max." said McKay.
McKay says front line workers have their hands full, but that doesn't mean there isn't help available for those who need it. People just need to make an effort to get the help they want.
