Following up on a letter Mayor Christian Provenzano wrote to the new liberal Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, the Honourable Carolyn Bennett, MPP Ross Romano is advocating to get representatives from all levels of government to the table to address the ongoing mental health, addictions and homelessness crisis head on.
In a letter penned to the same minister, he suggested that Ontario’s Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, Michael Tibollo, also join Minister Bennett here in Sault Ste. Marie.
“While Minister Tibollo has visited Sault Ste. Marie a few times now, he was very much
looking forward to joining you here together, to further discuss the ways that we, at all
levels of government, can develop and build upon Sault Ste. Marie solutions to this
national crisis,” states Romano in his letter.
“This would be a great opportunity for Team Sault Ste. Marie, Team Ontario and Team
Canada to tackle this tremendous challenge we are facing, as one. Because, as I always say, we work better when we work together.”
MPP Romano is currently awaiting a response to the invitation.
Stay with SaultOnline/ONNTV for updates on this and other stories as they become available.
Fantastic!!
If MPP Romano and Mayor Provenzano are successful in getting all of the Addiction Ministers around the same table we will have the opportunity to show those leaders an opioid addiction “continuum of care” solution that can be replicated in every medium-sized Municipality throughout the country.
That “continuum of care” solution involving the following from short term to longer term:
1. Mobile Safe Consumption “Site” (Truck(s))
To immediately stop the fentanyl-laced accidental deaths. No more deaths. Zero. I’m thinking that this should be a Mobile SCS called “Little SCS”, and pronounced “little sis”, so that people with opiates that need to be tested can say, “I’ve got to call my little sis” before taking their opiates. That provides a sense of being part of a family, which they most certainly are, and the Feds can provide expedited ‘Emergency Use Authorization’ of opiates so our Little SCS can give clean opiates if they come across tainted opiates.
2. Declarer an opioid addiction State of Emergency:
This, by “Activating” the Sault’s Emergency Response By-law 2017-236 ( tinyurl.com/SaultERP ) to get those who are addicted to opiates into a place of safe haven where they are given food, shelter, a rehabilitation assessment and a rehab plan for their unique rehabilitation needs, harm reduction therapy if so desired, daily focused medical attention, and the TIME to get well on their way to hope, health and prosperity in a stigma-free, caring Environment… I’m thinking the Armouries.
You will note that States of Emergency do NOT have a time limit. They go until the Emergency has passed as is evidenced by the States of Emergency going on in BC where people are being plucked from the flooding streets, and from their rooves, and given safe haven.
Also of note is the fact that Chief Sutherland of Constance Lake First Nation recently declared a Health State of Emergency to garner Federal and Provincial resources of the lung infection health crisis. Ours is an opioid addiction health crisis that will see upwards of 80 deaths in the Algoma Public Health region in 2021 alone… and getting worse.
3. Longer-term Federal, Provincial and Municipal Investments, like:
a) a Detox (Federal one-time Capital, Provincial ongoing Human Resource),
b) a Withdrawal Management facility (Fed Capital, Prov HR)
c) Post-recovery Housing, (Municipal through DSSAB)
d) Dedicated Police drug department locally, provincially, and federally (Federal because this will be a never-ending battle)
4. The ultimate solution:
Let’s face it, the supply of opiates is never going to go away, or even decrease because as soon as one dealer is taken down, another springs up to take their place. So the ultimate solution is to DECREASE DEMAND for opiates by never ever letting your loved ones get anywhere near them because they are so cheap and powerful that once you’ve tried them even once you are hooked, and your life goes on a downward spiral. And the best way to decrease demand is have every person in our community looking out for every other person in our community to ensure nobody starts taking opiates ever again.
A caring community is the only permanent solution to this problem.
Sincerely,
Mark Brown
must be an election year eh Ross?
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