The Real Cycle of CTS Connections
Evidence-Based CTS Services that match and exceed the proposed HART HUBS
The minister of MHA stated HART HUBS would offer 4 times the funding of the CTS model. With the below services on offer exceeding those of the HART Hub model, why the increase in funding?
CTS services build relationships with People Who Use Drugs (PWUD) while creating a non-judgemental space for access to services and saving over 49,000 lives.
- mental health and addictions services such as screener assessments (often in-house), linkages to brief counceling, RAAM clinic services (often in-house), detox, addiction medicine prescribers (often in-house), and referral pathways to community services
- primary care—through nurse practitioners, nurses, and doctors
- wound care - onsite with connection to the wound care network
- referrals to sex work advocacy and sexual health
- referrals to victims' and trafficking services
- People With Lived and Living Experience/Expertise (PWLLE)/Peer-Led referral services
- treatment linkage and pre-supports
- Food security: in-house nutrition and support program
- directly observed therapy for HIV/HCV/STBBI/MH medications
- Wellness Link Navigation: building relationships in the community to social prescribing programs
- community cleanups - by staff and community partners
- overdose response internally and externally (within the neighbourhood)
- overdose response training
- Drug checking - informing the toxic drug reporting database and drug alert program
- needle exchange programs - and harm reduction equipment distribution to prevent HIV/HCV/STBBI
- case management (financial, legal, housing, taxes, ID, cultural support, etc.)
- referrals to employment services, and low-barrier programming
the above image is from NorthReach.
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"If I were going to identify the biggest asset and success of our CTS, it's actually been not just preventing and reversing overdoses, but really building trusting relationships for people who use treatment centres."
Karen Redman Regionam, Chair Waterloo Region
Minister of AMH False Model of CTS Care
This model is not based in evidence
The minister of MHA stated that HART HUBS would offer four times the funding of the CTS model. With the services on offer below those of the HART Hub model, why is there an increase in funding?
The HART Model notes that it will offer less services:
When will these services be available? Why would an active drug user access these services in a treatment model? Has this model been piloted?
- mental health and addictions services such as screener assessments, brief treatment, RAAM clinic services, detox, Addictions Medicine prescribers, and referral pathways to community services
- primary care
- shelter or transitional beds
- case management for social assistance, employment-finding services
The above image is https://www.ontario.ca/page/homelessness-and-addiction-recovery-treatment-hart-hubs-client-journey#toc-end
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Evidence Based Research
Drug Policy Coalition
Decriminalization Done Right: A rights-based path for drug policy
Alliance for Healthier Communities
- Harm Reduction and the Case for Decriminalization
- The way forward: The case for decriminalization and safe supply
National Safe Supply Community of Practice
- Emerging Evidence Brief on Prescribed Safer Supply and Client Experiences
- Resources for program operators, including open CoP discussion sessions, documents, and webinar recordings.
HIV Legal Network
Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA)
Ontario Drug Policy Research Network (ODPRN)
- Characteristics of substance-related toxicity deaths in Ontario: Stimulant, opioid
- 85% of deaths had other substances than opioids directly contribute to death
- Benzodiazepine, and alcohol-related deaths
- Opioid Indicator Tool
Ministry of the Solicitor General - Deaths in Custody - Ontario
House Of Commons December
- 2023 Presentations and Resources Toxic Drug Crisis:
HESA - Opioid Epidemic and Toxic Drug Crisis in Canada (ourcommons.ca)
Public Health Sudbury and District
- The report documents the insights and priorities from the Greater Sudbury Summit on Toxic Drugs (Summit), which took place on December 7 and 8, 2023.
- Detailed report, Honouring Voices, Embracing Perspectives, Moving Forward: A Summary Report on the Greater Sudbury Summit on Toxic Drugs (PDF).
Harm Reduction Journal
- Total Systems Failure Report - https://harmreductionjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12954-022-00629-1
- Implementation and sustainability of safe consumption sites: a qualitative systematic review and thematic synthesis ( Review of data from 200 known SCSs operating in over twelve countries) https://harmreductionjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12954-022-00655-z
Recent provincial announcement re: SCS restrictions and closures.
Materials:
b. Jones’ AMO Aug 19 2024 announcement transcription (attached)
- Statement in Aug 24 2024 CP24 article: In a statement, a health minister staffer pointed to a rise in crime in neighbourhoods around some sites but didn't respond to questions from CTV News about how those figures were calculated. The staffer said even if a site weren't among those initially identified but failed the new criteria, it would have to close under the new rules.
- "Open, taxpayer-funded drug consumption should not be happening on the same block as schools and daycares. Yesterday's action will help protect the public, especially for our most vulnerable: Ontario's children," the statement said.
c. Unity Health Review: https://www.ontario.ca/files/2024-08/moh-consumption-treatment-service-review-unity-health-en-2024-08-19.pdf
- “The review team found it is suitable and desirable for CTS to be integrated within community health centres.”
d. Unity Health Community Engagement Report: https://www.ontario.ca/files/2024-08/moh-community-engagement-report-unity-health-en-2024-08-19.pdf
e. Jill Campbell SRCHC report: https://www.ontario.ca/files/2024-08/moh-south-riverdale-community-health-centre-cts-supervisor-report-en-2024-08-19.pdf
f. Leveraging new zoning rules re: 200 m rule – referenced here: https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/ford-government-deadly-closure-of-safe-consumption-sites-spells-disaster-for-ontario-s-overdose-epidemic-safe-supply-saves-lives-this-decision-will-result-in-countless-unnecessary-deaths--843660500.html
g. CUPE, OPSEU, ONA press conference on Monday at 11am here: https://www.ola.org/en/legislative-business/video/media-studio
