3 Guelph organizations receive federal funds for drug abuse support programs | 24CA News
Federal funding is coming to a few organizations in Guelph that work to assist these battling substance abuse.
Guelph MP Lloyd Longfield introduced on Tuesday that $1.8 million goes to the organizations via Health Canada’s Substance Use and Addictions Program.
The funding would permit the organizations to extend entry to their providers in hopes of decreasing the stigma and hurt related to drug dependancy. They embrace peer-led and low-barrier packages for residents battling substance abuse, growing secure provide capability and offering youth entry to help packages.
“People are in a bad spot in terms of mental health,” Longfield mentioned. “Self-medicating using illegal drugs that are not safe is a problem that all communities are facing.”
The funding is along with the $3.6 million that the organizations have beforehand obtained from SUAP.
Tuesday’s announcement was at Stonehenge Therapeutic Community in Guelph, the place Longfield was joined by representatives of the organizations which can be receiving the funding: Lindsey Sodtke, supervisor of hurt discount on the Guelph Community Health Centre; Rita Isley, board president at Wyndham House; and Stonehenge CEO Kristen Kerr.
Kerr explains the significance of getting these organizations working collectively in rooting out the issues related to drug dependancy.
“The volume of people who need support and the complexity and severity of those needs have really increased,” Kerr mentioned. “Folks need more than one kind of service. There isn’t any one of our organizations who can fully support one human.”
Isley mentioned this funding will particularly assist youth who usually are not certain the place to go for assist.
“There’s many doors they can go to,” Isley mentioned. “As community partners working together, we will help navigate the system to get them to doors that will do the best for them.”
The funding announcement comes because the province’s Ministry of Health is reviewing supervised consumption websites and remedy centres within the wake of a capturing exterior a facility in an east-end Toronto neighbourhood in July the place a bystander was killed by a stray bullet.
Sodtke mentioned there haven’t been any violent incidents both inside or exterior the Guelph Community Health Centre.
“We work closely with our partners and with our service providers to ensure everything we can to mitigate any concerns that come up in our community.”
She added that the secure provide program isn’t just about “giving” individuals medication.
“As unique as every individual is, so is there customized plan,” Sodtke mentioned. “We are working closely with the folks in our program to support them where they are at and will continue to do so.”
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