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HELPING FIGHT A CRISIS – Health and Social Services Minister Pauline Frost and MP Larry Bagnell hold up the joint fed- eral-territorial funding agreement on curbing substance abuse during their news conference held Monday in Whitehorse. Photo courtesy GOVERNMENT OF YUKON

YG, feds confirm nearly $1 M in opioids-related funding

Nearly $1 million in combined federal and territorial government funding will go toward improving access to opioid treatment services for those living with substance use disorders, it was announced Monday in Whitehorse.

By Palak Mangat on December 18, 2018

Nearly $1 million in combined federal and territorial government funding will go toward improving access to opioid treatment services for those living with substance use disorders, it was announced Monday in Whitehorse.

The bilateral agreement will see Ottawa pitch in about $500,000 through its Emergency Treatment Fund (ETF) and the Yukon government just over $445,000.

It’s an effort to increase access to the Yukon’s Opioid Treatment Services (OTS). That brings the total to about $945,000.

Ottawa acknowledges the opioid crisis as a national public health issue.

Consequently, the feds announced the ETF as part of its 2018 budget to help provide one-time emergency funding of $150 million for jurisdictions to improve access to treatment services.

Part of those treatment services include a full-time mental health nurse for the Yukon who will serve in Whitehorse to enhance opioid agonist program services.

Speaking to the Star this morning, Health and Social Services Minister Pauline Frost said the recruitment for this position was already in progress.

“Time is of the essence; we want to make sure we get that support secured as quickly as possible,” she said.

The position will be based out of the city’s downtown core through the referred care clinic, she added.

“That recruitment is ready happening; we’re going out and trying to find the right person to take this job on.”

While Frost added that the position will begin in the new year, a federal webpage notes that the nurse can begin as early as January.

Frost acknowledged that the Yukon’s opioid-related deaths have climbed over the last two years to about 18.

The minister echoed chief coroner Heather Jones’ remarks when the coroner explained there are more deaths she is investigating that showed signs of opioid use.

“That (number) might likely increase, so we’re in a huge crisis on a national scale,” but also on a smaller, local scale, Frost added.

“This pushes us as a territory to start putting more emphasis on allocating funds specifically for the opioid crisis.”

The minister said that the government knows “rural Yukon communities don’t have the services that they need; we are hearing that loud and clear.”

She pointed to the territory’s action plan that was drafted in efforts to bridge some of those gaps through working with the mental wellness and substance abuse services – part of which are found in part in the four hubs in communities including Carmacks, Haines Junction, Dawson City and Watson Lake.

“Every Yukoner needs to participate in this public awareness and harm reduction strategies,” Frost said.

“The opioids we’re seeing right now in our communities does not discriminate,” she added, noting that feedback is essential to getting it right.

That’s something the feds concur with – the bilateral agreement requires that each jurisdiction be asked to regularly report within 90 days to share the progress made. The agreement will last until March 2023.

Frost also spoke about some of the treatment options, as the integration of long-term prescribing of methadone as another options to opioids as part of the treatment services (also dubbed methadone maintenance treatment) is also included with the funding.

Methadone and suboxone are “very effective,” the minister said, “and we want to ensure we have ancillary services.”

Those include things like counseling through the mental health nurse who will conduct assessments.

“The referral is really significant,” she added, noting that the community hubs is an element of bringing programs into communities.

The funding is also to improve access to wrap-around services like psychiatry, mental health services and social work – something that may be significant given that there may be a pattern of people using opioids while alone.

That was an observation made by Doris Bill, the chief of the Kwanlin Dün First Nation, who spoke at a vigil held last week in Whitehorse.

Meanwhile, the funding is cost-shared with each jurisdiction and Ottawa, which has put money aside based on the population and severity of the crisis in each area.

By way of context: when it comes to the Yukon, the number of deaths in the territory related to opioids currently sits at 18 since 2016.

Jones confirmed the figure during her remarks at the vigil, which honoured those lost to drug overdoses.

While she was unable to confirm the figures, she added there were at least three other deaths where signs pointed to opioid use.

Just a couple months ago, the territory ranked third nationally as having the most opioid-related deaths, behind only British Columbia and Alberta.

Monday’s funding announcement came just over a month after the territory released details of its own opioid action plan in November.

During 2017, much like 2016, there were seven opioid-related deaths, with five being traced to fentanyl.

As of this year, that number sits at four deaths, three involving fentanyl – bringing the total deaths to 18.

For context, Jones has investigated more than 200 sudden and unexpected deaths since 2016, and the ages vary, much like those who have passed away from opioid use.

“Opioid-related overdoses continue to have a devastating impact in communities across Canada, including in Yukon,” said Yukon MP Larry Bagnell.

“This bilateral agreement will facilitate and increase access to essential treatment services in the territory to help people with substance use disorder.

“We must continue to work in a comprehensive and collaborative way to help Canadians access treatment and supports.”

Currently, the investments toward emergency treatment sit at about $300 million once the bilateral agreements are signed, a release notes.

According to a federal webpage: Saskatchewan, Quebec, Nunavut, Newfoundland and Labrador and British Columbia have so far availed the fund.

Comments (15)

Up 8 Down 0

Josey Wales on Dec 21, 2018 at 9:54 pm

Hey joe....very good point.
I admit even as the author of said alleged error, your chronology makes even more sense than my intended.
The most important part of your point reaching me?
I am near peeing with glee...less than 11 months to go before we toss that himbo.
Folks would it not be grand if his team replaced the greens in party standing? A party we reference in conversation but has no effect.
Fourth party status...I won’t call it just yet....but hope bigus timus!
We do not need Justine Merkel finishing his daddies experiment.
Data has been known a long time...epic fail.

Up 9 Down 3

IgnoranceWasBliss on Dec 21, 2018 at 6:25 pm

at Ignorance - Jean is correct and his/her opinion is sensible.
Why pay for a bunch of truck-ups to continue to truck-up. Let them OD. It’s a choice not an addiction!

Up 7 Down 1

Phatty Tire on Dec 21, 2018 at 5:17 pm

I just heard from Merriam-Webster. They were asking if I knew how to get hold of Patti Eyre.
Apparently they are trying to define the phrase “stupid is as stupid does” and thought that her posts on this thread would explain the phrase better than anything they could put in words.

Up 6 Down 10

IgnoranceIsBliss on Dec 21, 2018 at 1:20 pm

Congratulations Jean - you win the Victor Ludorum prize for the shortest and most succinct comment containing the highest volume of misinformed silliness. Return to Go, polish up those jackboots, try again for a GED, and do NOT collect $200.

Up 12 Down 0

Bandit on Dec 21, 2018 at 8:32 am

@Patti Eyre
I think you need to re-read Joseys' post again or have someone read it to you slowwwilly enough so that you can comprehend what was said. I fully understand what "it is an election year soon" means, if nothing else it means not this year!!! I don't think ol Josey needs any help but you certainly need some in the rules of engagement. A wise person once told me not to have a battle of wits with someone who was unarmed.

Up 8 Down 0

Folkie Johnson on Dec 21, 2018 at 5:08 am

As an aside I would like to have cannaboloids added to Pharmacare for arthritis, parkinsons, ms, rheumatic fever, etc. treatment suffered by many who would benefit greatly from say 2 grams per day. This would keep their pain management (to mention just one benefit) under control so they didn't risk getting hooked on opioids like some of these victims have.
It's not like the pot store is not raking in obscene profit from cannabis sales and can't afford it. Take what you can get an oz of Rockstar for in B.C. on the street $5/gram and what Cannibis Yukon is selling it for $19/gram. Do the math.

Up 14 Down 4

jean on Dec 21, 2018 at 1:29 am

There will always be foolish gullible people who can't avoid getting addicted to drugs, voting Liberal, and believing people cause the weather to change.
If they willfully choose to OD what's the problem?

Up 8 Down 0

Joe on Dec 20, 2018 at 7:13 pm

So if election is Oct. 2019 and we are Dec. 2018...hmmm doesn't that put us two months into election year?

Up 9 Down 0

Max Mack on Dec 20, 2018 at 6:31 pm

Kudos to the reporter and editor for getting this story close to the truth. CBC continues to report these deaths as opioid-overdose deaths, which many of them are not. The correct term to use is "apparent opioid-related fatalities".

Insisting that these deaths are all due to opioid-overdose obscures the very complex circumstances and factors that ultimately lead to death. Detecting some opioids in samples does not mean the cause of death was due to opioid overdose - merely that opioids were used at some point. Therefore, insisting that opioids are THE problem is very, very misleading.

The good news is that the extra funding may actually help some users, and the fear-mongering may scare a few straight (doubtful).
Anyway . . . good job Whitehorse Star at getting "apparent opioid-related fatalities" (mostly) right.

Up 1 Down 18

Patti Eyre on Dec 20, 2018 at 1:07 pm

Election year is 2019! Not 2018, poor ol Josie, but nobody accused you of being a number cruncher, but don't worry, god forgives all his children.

Up 21 Down 0

Groucho d'North on Dec 19, 2018 at 5:33 pm

Give the money to EMS. They work the frontline of this problem. They should know best what is needed and I'll bet it is not another expensive awareness campaign. Let's help those who help those with the addiction problems.

Up 18 Down 1

Josey Wales on Dec 19, 2018 at 5:18 pm

Hey patti two weeks is very soon, so not certain what it is I am alleged to be wrong about?
Maybe try reading some non fiction, perhaps a reading comprehension self help book.
Your intentional wrong spell is a classic passive aggressive tactic, maybe pray for some better articulation skills if you choose to hone in on my participation and engage.

Up 22 Down 3

Rural Resident on Dec 19, 2018 at 2:05 pm

It may be less expensive for gov to give away free and safer drugs through the yukon medical plan.

Up 3 Down 30

Patti Eyre on Dec 19, 2018 at 1:42 pm

Poor ol Josie, wrong again! The election is next year! But hey, keep on tryin' you may get something right soon enough

Up 33 Down 2

Josey Wales on Dec 18, 2018 at 5:21 pm

This is great news for NGO elites, might be able to buy a newer Subaru?
We all know this money will get vapourized into unaccountable coffers, and folks will keep dropping like flies.
But hey...it is an election year soon, and the himbos team is frantically trying to display their virtue, pretend something happened under its mandate....clearly!

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