Windsor-Essex will get almost half of a $1-million investment to improve treatment for those addicted to opioids.
Noting that the Erie St. Clair Local Health Integration Network has more than the provincial average of opioid prescriptions and hospitalizations, it plans to invest a total of $475,000 in addiction services in Windsor and Essex County. Another $80,000 will go to withdrawal management services in Chatham-Kent, and Sarnia-Lambton will receive $445,000 to increase the number of hospital beds dedicated to withdrawal management.
The bulk of the money spent in Windsor-Essex will go to Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare, where $200,000 will go to hiring three new withdrawal management counsellors. Two will work in Windsor, while the third will be based in Leamington.
CEO Janice Kaffer says with much of the media attention focused on the opioid crisis in the city; it is easy to forget it is a problem in the county too.
"I think if you talk to Leamington, they might say they're underserviced. I'm not entirely sure that the evidence supports that yet," she says. "But, we're definitely looking at making sure there's equal access there."
The Windsor Essex Community Health Centre will receive $175,000 for harm reduction. Outreach workers working at the centre's Pelissier St. location provide primary care services downtown by directing clients to programs.
The Victoria Order of Nurses will get $100,000 to expand its chronic pain program. New opioid case managers will be hired. The service helps patients going through withdrawal who do not have a primary care provider, and those who are prescribed high doses of pain medication.
Local health officials are looking ahead to the future of treatment too. Kaffer says they are exploring the possible use of Telehealth Ontario to connect patients to care during off-hours, and even smartphone apps.
"Because it's not just a nine to five issue... people may be struggling with the desire to go and source some drugs after hours when there's nobody around," says Kaffer. "So, how do you think about bringing technology into play?
