Annual Report 2018

Harm Reduction

PROJECT
5

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FOR SAFE INJECTION SERVICES

WECOSS Action Plan Guiding Recommendation [FIVE]

Increase access to a variety of harm reduction options, such as non- abstinence based programs that accept clients using medication assisted therapies, safer drug use equipment, and mobile outreach activities, for people who use opioids and those affected by people who use opioids.

Goal: To engage the community and key stakeholders to assess perceptions, concerns, and acceptability of supervised injection services (SISs) in WEC, with a focus on Windsor.

Summary of Activities: Research Ethics Board clearance was obtained in Fall 2018. Consultation included focus groups with key stakeholders, an in-person survey with persons who inject drugs, and an online survey with the general public.

Measurable Outputs:

  • 2,483 fully completed (2,738 total) + 60 paper surveys
  • 5 focus groups with 27 attendees (current)
  • 18 key informant interviews

PROJECT
6

NEEDLE SYRINGE PROGRAM EXPANSION

WECOSS Action Plan Guiding Recommendation [FIVE]

Increase access to a variety of harm reduction options, such as non- abstinence based programs that accept clients using opioid substitution therapies, safer drug use equipment, and mobile outreach activities, for people who use opioids and those affected by people who use opioids.

Goal:  To expand  local Needle Syringe Programs (NSP) to improve the lives of people who use drugs by increasing opportunities for positive health outcomes, as a result of improved access to health and social services, as well as harm reduction supplies. This harm reduction approach also supports prevention of transmission of blood borne viruses and pathogens between individuals (HIV, HCV and other STBBI’s).

Summary of Activities: Restructured two different Public Health Unit Needle Syringe Programs to create one regional program.  AIDS Committee of Windsor’s addition of new harm reduction staff has allowed for the development of new systems within the agency to support the deployment of additional NSP sites with greater efficiency. Additional sites are planned for 2019. The new mobile outreach van (Yellow Umbrella) has allowed for distributing materials throughout our region.

Measurable Outputs:

  • 1 Yellow Umbrella  mobile outreach van to distribute harm reduction supplies
  • 4 additional NSP sites established

PROJECT
7

NEEDLE DROP BOXES: LOCATIONS, SIGNAGE, AND EDUCATION

WECOSS Action Plan Guiding Recommendation [FIVE]

Increase access to a variety of harm reduction options, such as non- abstinence based programs that accept clients using opioid substitution therapies, safer drug use equipment, and mobile outreach activities, for people who use opioids and those affected by people who use opioids.

Goal: To reduce the number of improperly discarded syringes and sharps in neighborhoods across Windsor and Essex County by providing sharp disposal bins. The purpose of these disposal bins is to help lessen the risk for members in the community to come into contact with items that have been improperly discarded.

Summary of Activities: The Municipal Bin Advisory Committee was formed. Members include Windsor Police Services, healthcare agencies, community organizations, business improvement associations, neighbourhood groups, and City of Windsor staff. The committee worked to implement 11 of the proposed 19 sharps kiosk goals, which included: determination of the placement (e.g., based on 311 data, and site evaluations according to Crime Prevention through Environmental Design principles) and purchase and installation of these kiosks, as well as public education on how to dispose of a sharp if found in the community. Further work will collect aggregate data to understand the greater impact of this initiative.

Measurable Outputs:

  • 1 educational poster on proper needle disposal
  • 7 additional bins were installed by the City of Windsor for a total of 11 bins.

PROJECT
8

NALOXONE PROGRAM PROMOTION AND EXPANSION

WECOSS Action Plan Guiding Recommendation [FIVE]

Increase access to a variety of harm reduction options, such as non- abstinence based programs that accept clients using opioid substitution therapies, safer drug use equipment, and mobile outreach activities, for people who use opioids and those affected by people who use opioids.

Goal: To increase community access to naloxone by adding to the number of trained, partnering organizations involved in the Ontario Naloxone Program (ONP) and increased public awareness of local points of access to free naloxone.

Summary of Activities: The Ontario Naloxone Program (ONP) offered through the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, distributes naloxone to eligible community organizations for their clients who use opioids or are at risk of an opioid overdose, and their friends and families. Key activities in this project included: outreach to community organizations to recruit them for the ONP; development of promotional materials for local naloxone access points.

Measurable Outputs:

  • 2 community resources developed to promote local naloxone access points 
  • 15 new Ontario Naloxone Program sites recruited
  • 3,679 Naloxone kits or refills distributed in Windsor and Essex County through the Ontario Naloxone Program in 2018
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