OD prevention site to move into IH facility

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When the plan was revealed to council in January, 2019, there was strong opposition from business groups and downtown residents, including a petition calling for the facility to be placed outside of the downtown.

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IH officials say they have consulted with a number of groups, including city council, the Greater Vernon Chamber of Commerce, the Downtown Vernon Association, local first responders and the Vernon Community Action Team and Harm Reduction Action Team.

Letters inviting input were also sent to the Shuswap-North Okanagan division of family practice, the Okanagan Indian Band, and Splats’in First Nation.

“We attended the town hall [meeting] in June, and have also heard from people with lived experience about what would best support their needs,” the statement said. “Clear throughout the feedback is agreement by a majority of stakeholders that there is a strong need for overdose prevention services in Vernon, in light of the ongoing overdose crisis.”

In 2019, there were 15 overdose deaths in Vernon.

Another four people died from overdoses in the first three months of 2020.

The IH statement acknowledged safety concerns.

“Some community members questioned whether locating the overdose prevention service downtown or near other social services would lead to increased loitering and public drug use in these areas. Some suggested it be located within IH’s health-care facilities, such as a hospital or health centre. Other feedback highlighted the need for open communication, engagement, risk management and security.

“This feedback has informed IH planning and the decisions about how mental health and substance use services will be offered in the downtown Vernon area, while at the same time ensuring local concerns about community safety are addressed.”

The Downtown Primary Care Centre is open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and IH said the staff “have a high level of expertise.”

Businesses near the care centre were being notified of the plans, and IH will hold a public open house in the future, pending COVID-19 restrictions being lifted.