NEWS RELEASE
SIMCOE MUSKOKA OPIOID STRATEGY
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The application process for a supervised consumption site (SCS) in Barrie is now under way. The Gilbert Centre, Canadian Mental Health Association-Simcoe Branch and the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit are leading this work.
The application for a SCS is part of the Simcoe Muskoka Opioid Strategy’s (SMOS) Action Plan.
A series of public consultations will be conducted to determine how to develop supervised consumption services in downtown Barrie for people who use drugs. Consultations will take the form of surveys and a public open house, which will shape decisions made to reduce the harm from drug overdoses in the city.
An online survey for the general public living, working or going to school in Barrie will be made available between the end of February and the end of March; a second survey will also be made available specifically for people who use drugs. The public open house will be held in Barrie in the spring.
Supervised consumption services can be created through the federal and provincial governments. While programs have different names, they essentially provide the same services: to offer a safe place where people can use drugs under supervision and to begin treatment for those people who are ready.
Community consultations will obtain valuable feedback from the public and stakeholders about developing a supervised consumption site. They will generate knowledge about the geographic area where a site would be best located. They will also provide the public with information about the concept of harm reduction, and demonstrate concern and respect for people who use drugs.
The public and stakeholders will be kept informed of the consultation dates, as well the consultation results once they have been assembled. For more information visit www.smdhu.org/SCS or call Health Connection at 1-877-721-7520 or 705-721-7520.
The Simcoe Muskoka Opioid Strategy is a collective comprehensive strategy aimed at reducing opioid harms in Simcoe and Muskoka.
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