Multiple programs in place to help combat the opioid crisis in Grande Prairie

“No amount of education is unimportant. I think the more everyone is educated about it, the less stigma is attached to it. As well as, more solutions will be brought forward and hopefully, we won’t be calling this a crisis in a year or two. We can say crisis averted,” says Councillor Chris Thiessen.

Any member of the public can also visit HIV North at 9607 102 Street during office hours, on a walk-in basis to learn how to administer Naloxone. HIV North provides training on an individual basis but also encourages training through a group setting for businesses or community groups.

“We are encouraging business owners to do staff training as well, because the more people who are aware of the issues through opioids and who aren’t denying the impact that they’re having on people’s lives, hopefully, the less use we’ll see.”

As explained by Alberta Health Services, naloxone is a drug which can temporarily reverse an opioid overdose. In order to work, the drug must be administered right away and must be followed up by emergency medical care.

“We’ve been stepping up by providing space for HIV North when needed or requested for them to do the training sessions with larger groups of people. HIV North receives their funding from the provincial government to provide naloxone training and naloxone kits and then our partnership with them is to be supportive a) and b) where possible, to provide the space as its needed,” adds Thiessen.

Information on signs and symptoms of an opioid overdose, follow up care, and safer drug use details are also provided by HIV North through offered training. Participants can also take-home naloxone kits free of charge.

The City recently provided naloxone kit training to staff and Thiessen explains how training has already been impactful.

“There was one incident over the last two weeks, where somebody had overdosed inside of the Montrose Cultural Centre and because we had provided that training to our custodial staff, who are really roaming around the whole facility, they were able to react quickly and prevent that person from passing away and saved their life. One life saved, I think, made all the training worthwhile.”

You do not need an ID or a prescription to receive a naloxone kit. They are also available free of charge to anyone at most pharmacies or walk-in clinics.

The City of Grande Prairie received a $75,000 grant from the province to help promote available services and raise public awareness and these Task Force-provided sessions are being funded through that grant.

Grande Prairie was one of 29 community organizations that received funding from the province. In total, $1.4 million in grants was distributed.

A screening of the video series Critical Condition: The Opioid Crisis in Grande Prairie will be featured at the upcoming sessions, along with presentations from experts and a public question and answer period.

“I would encourage anybody that I talk to and that I have talked to, to make themselves aware of the issues that opioid use presents itself in our community. To be empathetic to the people who are caught in the dregs of addiction and to educate themselves as to how they can help people either overcome an overdose by having the appropriate training and/or to just be understanding of where people are in their life and to not judge. It takes many hands to make the world a better place and I think that’s part of the goals of the Community Opioid Task Force and what we’re trying to accomplish here in our community,” says Thiessen.

Sessions are free but seating is limited. To register call the Grande Prairie Public Library at 780-357-7455.

by Courtney Almeida

Multiple programs in place to help combat the opioid crisis in Grande Prairie

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