Future more clear for supervised injection sites in Hamilton

Supervisedinjection sites inHamilton have amore promising although still uncertain future,after the provincialgovernment announced Monday it will fund and rebrand a total of 21 supervised drug consumption sites in Ontario.

"I think it's a good news and a cautious news at the same time," said DeniseBrooks, executivedirector at the Hamilton Urban Core Community Health Centre.The centre operates theonlyplace in Hamilton where drug users can inject under professional supervision, in partnership with theShelter Health Network.

They are being cautious until they hear more details, Brookssaid, butthe ministry was clear on Monday that there would be "no interruption" for sites currently providing services.

• Ontario to keep funding supervised drug consumption sites, health minister says

As she understands,they will not have to shut down in the time gapbeforegovernment approves rebrandedsites.

Hamilton's only overdose prevention siteis temporary and itsfunding wasset to run out at the end of November.

Questionsswirled in August,when the government said it was "pausing" approvals for new overdose preventionsites during a review.Proponents have said one safe injection site is not enough in the city, where 87 people died from opioid overdoses last year.

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Premier Doug Ford has previously said he's "dead against" supervised injection sites.

But Health Minister Christine Elliot said Monday that they will continue to fund sites, although they arerebrandingthemto have a"new focus" onhelpingusers receive treatment and get rehabilitated.Existing sites will have to reapply to continue operating,Elliot said,and there will be no new funding for approvedlocations.

January is when approved sites can start transitioning to the newmodel, the ministry said in a press release.

Brooks saidtheywill apply to provide safe injection servicesmorepermanentlyunder the government'snewplan. In the meantime, she expects to hear from ministry staff soon about how to move forward in the interim.

'A need' for sites in Hamilton

Two other agenciesinHamilton had alreadyapplied for a more permanent, supervised consumption site that would offer healthcare services and help people get into treatment,saidMichelle Baird,director of epidemiology, wellness and communicable disease at Hamilton Public Health.

When deciding the 21 Ontario sites thatget approved, Bairdhopes the province will look at need"andHamilton certainly has a need for this type of service."

Last year, 87 people in Hamilton died fromopioidoverdoses, the city says72 per centhigher than the provincial average.

Hamilton's current overdose prevention site has seen 350 visits per month, said Baird.

The continued fundingis positive news, Bairdsaid, and an announcement"we've been waiting for."

New model similar to current sites

Itdoesn't look like the government's new model is asignificant shift from what the Hamilton site is already doing, Brooks said, in termsof offering healthcare services and helping people get to treatment.

She said it's great safe injection services will remain available, but it's hard to comment without knowing more details.

• Here's how Hamilton's new supervised injection site will work

The Progressive Conservatives arerenamingsafe injection sites"Consumption and Treatment Services," which will replace the supervised consumption services and overdose prevention sites that currently exist.

The current overdose prevention sites are temporary, harm-reduction sites wheredrug-userscan inject under supervision, and accessharm reduction supplies.

Supervised consumption sitesare more permanent sites, approved by the federal government.

All approved sites are expected to be in place by April 2019, the government said.

There will not be any new funding for the approvedsites, the minister said,and most existing sites already comply with the new plan.