Safe supply program 'a lifeline' for people in Waterloo region but faces uncertain future

The safe drug supply program in Waterloo region is "a lifeline" for the people who use it, but it faces an uncertain future.

Dr. Chris Steingart is the founder and executive director of Sanguen Health Centre and says federal funding for the 21 safer supply programs run throughout Canada is set to end in March. That also includes the program run through the Guelph Community Health Centre.

Funding for the safe supply program run by Grand River Community Health Centre in Brantford is set to expire at the end of this year.

Steingart says more than 160 people in the region use the program and it gives them access to health care they otherwise wouldn't get.

"It's a program that quite dramatically reduces someone's day-to-day risk of dying from overdose death," Steingart told Craig Norris, host of CBC Kitchener-Waterloo's The Morning Edition.

"The benefits are quite clear. People in this program use less fentanyl.They're less likely to overdose. They're less likely to be exposed to things like hepatitis C and and HIV and there's an opportunity tostart to think aboutthe kind of life that that I want to live."

As part of the program, a doctor or nurse practitioner prescribes opiates to people to reduce their reliance on the "toxic, unregulated drug supply," he said.

"But it's so much more than just the writing of a prescription. It's the support of nurses, of social support workers, of system navigators and outreach workers," he said.

"They know that they're able to connect with those that actually care about what happens to them and a lot of our folks in this program, it's been a long time since they've had access to health care and this kind of support and this kind of connection and some have never had that opportunity."

LISTEN|Federal funding could end for the local safe supply program. Here's what that means for people who use it:

The Morning Edition - K-W9:24Federal funding could end for the local safe supply program. Here's what that means for people who use it

There are 21 safe drug supply programs operating in Canada - including one here in Waterloo region - that may see its federal funding cut next spring. Local health advocates say thats a big problem for the people who use the program. Dr. Chris Steingart, founder and executive director of Sanguen Health Centre, explains.

Programs exist to deal with overdose crisis

The federal government's website notes the safe supply programs were set up because "the drug overdose crisis continues to have devastating impacts on Canadian communities and families."

Safe supply programs operate in a variety of settings including: medical clinics, supportive housing, pharmacies, community health centres and supervised consumption sites.

The programs "do not necessarily focus on stopping drug use. Instead, they focus on meeting the existing needs of people who use drugs, reducing the risk of overdose by helping people to be less reliant on the toxic illegal drug supply, and providing connections to health and social services where possible and appropriate," the federal government website says.

Open letter to federal government

But there are concerns about the future of the program. Currently the funding for 21 programs, including in Waterloo region, is set to run out at the end of March 2024.

In an open letter posted to the HIV Legal Network website, more than 130 experts signed a letter calling on the federal government to extend funding for safe supply programs.

"Published research in well-respected medical and public health journals and program evaluations on prescribed safer supply programs have shown positive outcomes for clients," the letter says.

"Given the ongoing overdose crisis driven by the unregulated drug supply, discontinuing safer supply programs is a dangerous decision," the letter said, adding it could have deadly consequences.

On top of that, it would affect ongoing research programs "that are documenting the strengths and challenges of this model of care."

"This will hinder efforts to generate evidence on the health and social services needed to address drug toxicity deaths across the country," the letter says.

Health Canada said the safe supply programs are run through itssubstance use and addictions program (SUAP), which provides "time-limited funding" for a "wide range of innovative and evidence-informed projects."

"Building on previous efforts to develop innovative, community-led approaches, budget 2023 includes $144 millionfor SUAP to fund community-based supportsand evidence-based health interventions," the media relations team said in an email.

"Through the 2023 national call for proposals, SUAP will continue to fund projects that address substance use issues across the continuum of care. Projects are anticipated to begin as early as June 1, 2024 and must be completed no later than March 31, 2028."

People from 'every walk of life' use program

Steingart says the program in Waterloo region, which is run in partnership between Sanguen and The Working Centre, has helped 179 people since it received funding from Health Canada in March 2021and has a 90 per cent retention rate. The program is currently completely full and is not taking referrals.

He said when it comes to who uses the program, "everybody has a different story."

"There's just no one pathway to come to this point where a program like this can help someone," he said.

"These are folks who are mothers and fathers and brothers and sisters and friends and colleagues from literally every walk of life."

They are people who have "the same right to wake up and not have to wonder if they're going to survive a day because of the medication that they need to get by," Steingart said.

He said he wants the federal government to reconsider the decision to end funding for the programs. He'd also like to see the provincial government support the programs, too, beyond work being done in supervised consumption sites.

"We can't just drop 160 people from these medications," he said. "People will die."