Timmins supervised drug consumption site to be taken over by CMHA
Funding to keep the supervised drug consumption site open in Timmins has been found and it will be taken over by Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Cochrane-Timiskaming.
The uncertainty about the ability to keep the Safe Health Site Timmins (SHST) open has been eliminated with a new partnership between the Timmins and District Hospital (TADH) and CMHA.
"The SHST will begin the transition from the Urgent Public Health Needs Site (UPHNS) exemption, operated by TADH to the Consumption Treatment Services (CTS) exemption, operated by CMHA-CT," the two groups said in a joint news release.
"This extension is made possible through new and existing funding sources that support those in our community living with substance use disorders."
It was also announced that CMHA-CT will temporarily subsidize the operating costs for the site after funding was found.
- Download the CTV News app now
- Get local breaking news alerts
- Daily newsletter with the top local stories emailed to your inbox
The CMHA received federal approval for a permanent consumption treatment services site in September 2023 but is still waiting for provincial approval.
"In 2020, a funding proposal was submitted to Ontario Health for the development of the Timmins Wellness Centre, a comprehensive treatment facility," the hospital said.
"The Timmins and District Hospital resubmitted a funding proposal for the development of the Timmins Wellness Centre in December 2023 and are awaiting a response from the province."
The site will change hands in the coming months.
"Through this partnership, important services like treatment, case management and referrals, on-site counselling, harm reduction, education and prevention for infectious diseases (like HIV/Hep C) and wound care remain readily accessible for those who need them," the news release said.
"The SHST has demonstrated its effectiveness as an evidence-based solution to connect individuals with treatment and care, save lives and safeguard emergency and health service capacity."
There has been a 20 per cent reduction in opioid-related ambulance calls, emergency room visits and overdose deaths since the site opened, the hospital said.
More than 1,500 people have accessed the supervised drug consumption site between July 2022 and December 2023.
Timmins has a population of under 42,000 people.
Timmins had one of the highest rates of opioid-related deaths in Ontario in 2020 at 75.3 per 100,000.
That number rose to 80.2 per 100,000 in 2021.
Within the five months of operation its first year, the rate dropped to 53.3.
"Acting as a vital doorway to our care system, 97 per cent of clients accessing SHST accessed the harm reduction clinic to connect with treatment services and care. The site has also intervened in 361 overdoses, with only three per cent requiring EMS and no fatalities," the hospital said.
"To date, the SHST has facilitated over 40 direct admissions to withdrawal management services and continues to facilitate the provision of treatment directly onsite."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
The Indian couple killed in a wrong-way police chase crash on Highway 401 earlier this week has been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
2 charged after police find 'concerning and diverse' explosives at Manitoba home
Winnipeg police say they have arrested two people in their 20s after a large amount of explosives were found in a home outside of Winnipeg, Man.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Spain abolishes national bullfighting award in cultural shift
Spain scrapped an annual bullfighting award on Friday, prompting a rebuke from conservatives over a backlash against a centuries-old tradition they see as an art form but which has run into growing concern for animal welfare.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.
Police officer hit by driver of fleeing vehicle in Toronto
York Regional Police say they are continuing to search for a suspect in an auto theft investigation who was captured on video running over a police officer in Toronto last month.