After completing a requisite application process, a $100,000 provincial government grant is coming to City of Powell River to battle the opioid epidemic. BC minister of mental health and addictions Judy Darcy made the announcement on July 18.
Powell River has the second highest overdose death rate within the authority of Vancouver Coastal Health. Powell River-Sunshine Coast MLA Nicholas Simons said reasons for that could include a prevalence in certain demographics in the region and the lack of a harm reduction strategy.
“Some people postulated that it's due to the fact that there's been harm reduction strategies on the lower Sunshine Coast for longer than other jurisdictions in BC,” said Simons. “People who are living in the higher risk group, they have different associations and ties to the health system.”
Prior to election for his term in 2005, Simons spent more than 15 years working in areas of health, justice, social services and child welfare, notably as director of health and social development for shíshálh Nation, where he oversaw alcohol and drug programs.
Simons said the overdose crisis is a tragedy for many families and community initiatives. The Community Action Team (CAT) program will be helpful in stemming addictions, he added.
“The goal should always be on ending it, whether or not people want to say that’s realistic; when you’re dealing with any social issue the goal is to address that issue and it usually means reducing the impact,” said Simons. “Nobody is under the illusion that the problem will be solved but our efforts should always be geared toward the elimination of the underlying issue.”
Earlier this year, the province chose 20 high-risk communities, including Powell River and, after a requisite application, funding was granted from the Community Overdose Crisis Innovation Fund.
The grant will be administered by Powell River Employment Program (PREP) Society for the Community Action Team.
One of the priorities is to use some of the funding to hire a coordinator to help coordinate a response to the opioid crisis, according to PREP executive director Stuart Clark.
“That's about 40 per cent of the funds; there is some time directed toward covering our administration to process the grant and the other approximately $50,000 is going toward program enhancements,” said Clark.
Those enhancements are purposely vague, he added.
“We had some flexibility to review what are we doing in overdose response and how can we help enhance things that are already happening,” said Clark.
Powell River had an established and active community group addressing opioid overdose when the CAT program was announced in February. Powell River’s CAT includes members from municipal government, Tla’amin Nation, first responders, frontline community agencies, experts, residents and families with lived experience.
