Megan Deyman, the Coordinator of the Haliburton, Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland Drug Strategy (l), and Catherine MacDonald, substances and harm reduction coordinator at the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge Health Unit.
A task force led by the health unit involving local police, Northumberland Hills Hospital, and emergency services (fire and paramedics) will take place in September. It is being called the first step in addressing the opioid crisis in Northumberland County.
There will also be an effort by a tri-county group tasked with formulating a drug strategy for the area to engage the community and front-line workers, addicts and families, to build a comprehensive response.
Megan Deyman, the Coordinator of the Haliburton, Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland Drug Strategy, and Catherine MacDonald, substances and harm reduction coordinator at the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge Health Unit talk at length about these and other measures.
But provincial cuts to the health unit and grants to the drug strategy group are hanging in the balance, threatening these and other initiatives to fight opioids in the community.
The picture they paint is as painful for many as it is shocking. People in our community are dying. There are others facing drug addictions. And, there are multiple calls for taking a comprehensive action to address the crisis.
Please listen to this podcast to hear the details.
Originally aired: August 30, 2019
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