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Richmond has recently received provincial funding to fight overdose death
Image by Steve Buissinne from Pixabay
Richmond receives funding to fight overdoses
Published 3:17 PDT, Tue March 10, 2020
Last Updated: 4:41 PDT, Tue March 10, 2020
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The provincial government is providing close to $1 million to help fight overdose death, an epidemic that killed 5,539 people in BC last year.
Richmond is one of 24 BC municipalities to receive a grant from the Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions.
“The Health Champions Conversation Initiative will identify and support individuals with lived experience of substance use,” says city spokesperson Clay Adams. “They will become Health Champions, who can educate health and social service providers on ways to reduce stigma and improve access to care.”
By reducing the stigma around illicit drug use, medical personnel will be better informed on how to deal with people who use street drugs. Drug users may also seek safer injection practices like clean needles and testing for fentanyl.
Many people survive overdoses, but with life-altering brain injuries caused by lack of oxygen or infections from non-sterile drugs or needles.
Richmond’s Anne Vogel Clinic offers primary care, treatment and assessment to those facing opiate dependence. They also provide needle exchange services.
Adams says those who have successfully coped with opioid addiction themselves become experts on treatment options. Their input will be shared with general practitioners and nurse practitioners, as well as pharmacists, local non-profit service providers and hospital emergency department staff.
The Health Champions Conversation Initiative will be managed by Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH). A steering committee, comprising of VCH, city staff and others, will also be established to move the project forward, says Adams
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