Health unit has no plans to apply for provincially funded Overdose Prevention Site
The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit is not planning to apply for provincial funding to operate an Overdose Prevention Site (OPS) in the region, but will continue to explore bringing a supervised injection site to help battle opioid use.
This month, Ontario's provincial government invited applications for an OPS, described in the application guide as a "life-saving, time-limited service" that "addresses the crisis in opioid related overdoses."
A supervised injection site is long-term option for a community that also provides access to community services like addiction and mental health counselling.
Both sites allow people to use otherwise illicit drugs under the supervision of medical professionals to prevent overdoses that could end up killing the user.
"This is something we definitely would like to explore," said Dr. Wajid Amhed, acting medical officer of health for the health unit.
The idea of a safe injection site was proposed in August by Amhed to help battle opioid use but he said it may have been too soon.
"We think that our community was not at the stage to start having that kind of dialogue yet," said Amhed. "It takes time for the community to know and accept some of those realities facing our community."
He said that the health unit is now working with multiple agencies to launch a feasibility study to see if Windsor-Essex needs a supervised injection site.
Amhed, who is also co-chair of the Windsor-Essex Community Opioid Strategy-Leadership Committee, said it's a discussion that's been had by the committee.
What happens next
Amhed said he doesn't know if Windsor-Essex needs a supervised injection site and won't until the feasibility study is completed. But he said he know it's a contentious issue that will spark debate in the community.
"People don't want it in their backyard," said Ahmed.
"And we'll try to get the community to rally together in a more productive way that not only protects the interests of the community but also the vulnerable in our community."
