Pubdate: Wed, 30 Mar 2016
Source: Manitoulin Expositor (CN ON)
Copyright: 2016 The Manitoulin Expositor.
Contact:  http://www.manitoulin.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2429
Author: Alicia McCutcheon

NEEDLE EXCHANGE PROGRAM TO BE DISCUSSED FOR MANITOULIN

MANITOULIN - It is still unclear as to how the Sudbury and District
Health Unit's (SDHU) harm reduction supplies and services programming
will roll out on Manitoulin, but members of the Manitoulin Harm
Reduction Committee have realized a need when it comes to safe needle
use on the Island.

Jeanette Cyr, a public health nurse specializing in sexual health with
the SDHU, explained that the harm reduction supplies and services
programming is just in the preliminary phase and will be different for
each community, based on that community's needs. "It needs to fit the
needs of the clients," she said.

Ms. Cyr explained that harm reduction supply kits contain 'cookers,'
distilled water, needles, sharps bins, alcohol wipes, tourniquets, as
well as inhalation kits (the tools needed to make crack pipes). In
Sudbury, users can also return their used needles in the sharps bin
provided to them. This service will likely also come to Manitoulin.

"It also provides a point of entry to the health care system for
referrals, counselling, testing and education on how to inject safely
to prevent abscesses, infection and disease," Ms. Cyr added. "That's
the goal."

She said the health unit has seen an increase in the distribution of
these kits with the district offices requesting these same services.

"We are in the preliminary stages of discussion," Ms. Cyr reiterated.
"We will meet with the different communities one on one."

Christine Blake, team leader of the Manitoulin Mental Health and
Addictions Clinic and chair of the Manitoulin Harm Reduction
Committee, said her group last met the day of the SDHU announcement.
When asked how this might look for Manitoulin, Ms. Blake responded,
"We don't know, is the short answer."

"Manitoulin does have, and has had for a year or so, a harm reduction
committee-a sub-committee of the Manitoulin Addiction and Mental
Health table," Ms. Blake explained.

She said it is difficult to know how these services and programs would
look as they have no statistics on needle use on Manitoulin. There
are, she noted, three community needle drop-off boxes in M'Chigeeng
for users to discard their used needles.

"We have some information that there are needles coming from Sudbury
(Sudbury Youth Action Centre's The Point), but that they're not
necessarily bringing them back," she said.

"We are working on a drug strategy for Manitoulin and provincially,
the health units are trying to do the same thing," Ms. Blake added.

With Manitoulin comes the added challenges of distance and
transportation, she noted.

"We'll wait to hear from the SDHU, but as of now, there's no clear
time frame," Ms. Blake concluded.
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MAP posted-by: Matt