Ontario says it is stepping up the fight against the national opioid crisis with new front-line addiction and mental health workers for every community in the province.
Dr. Eric Hoskins, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, was joined by John Tory, Mayor of Toronto at The Works Needle Exchange Program in Toronto today to announce new measures to help tackle Ontario’s opioid crisis.
The province is providing funding for every board of health in Ontario to hire more front-line workers, such as addiction outreach workers and nurses, to help municipalities expand supports for people impacted by opioid addiction and overdose. “Opioid addiction and abuse is a serious, complex issue that requires immediate attention. By increasing front-line workers, and expanding access to naloxone kits by thousands, we are adding on the significant work already being done to combat opioid overdoses and fatalities occurring across the province.” says Dr. David Williams, Ontario Chief Medical Officer of Health
The province will also distribute almost 80,000 additional naloxone kits per year to front-line organizations and 6,500 additional naloxone kits per month will be distributed in the community to those at risk of opioid overdose and their friends and family, through community organizations such as shelters, outreach organizations, AIDS Service Organizations, Community Health Centres and withdrawal management programs. This will broaden the reach of existing harm reduction programs that are currently offered by Public Health Units and community partners.
The Minister of health and Long Term Care Dr. Eric Hoskins says “The devastating impact of opioid use disorder and overdose has reached every community across the province, and crosses all demographics. Our government is committed to working together with our partners across the province to combat this issue through a collaborative, evidence-based, comprehensive approach that will help save lives.”
Hoskins along with Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, Marie-France Lalonde, Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services, John Fraser, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care and Sophie Kiwala, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Children and Youth Services will be meeting with mayors from across the province to discuss the unique experiences of individual communities dealing with opioid addiction and overdose.
 photo credit: dmixo6 d oxycontin demotivator via photopin (license)
