Home / Health / Alberta Cuts Harm Reduction Team Amidst SCS Closure
Alberta Cuts Harm Reduction Team Amidst SCS Closure
30 Mar
Summary
- Calgary's lone supervised consumption site and harm reduction team to close June 30.
- Province shifting addiction services from harm reduction to recovery-oriented care.
- Health experts warn of increased overdoses and public drug use without outreach.
Alberta's Ministry of Mental Health and Addiction has confirmed that Calgary's Safeworks Connect harm reduction outreach team will shut down on June 30. This closure accompanies the planned end of operations for the city's sole supervised consumption site on the same date. The province aims to shift its approach to addiction services from harm reduction to a recovery-oriented model.
Concerns are mounting over the potential consequences of these closures. Health experts and registered nurse Jennifer Jackson warn that removing the Safeworks Connect team, which provides overdose response and distributes harm reduction supplies, could lead to catastrophic outcomes. They emphasize the team's established trust with vulnerable populations and fear a decrease in access to vital services.
The province plans to introduce a 24/7 rapid response team to address overdoses and connect individuals to care, but details from Recovery Alberta remain scarce. Advocates worry this replacement may not adequately fill the void left by the established Connect team, potentially increasing pressure on emergency services already responding to a high volume of critical medical interventions. Fire department data indicates a significant portion of their calls are critical medical responses.
Addictions specialist Monty Ghosh hopes the new rapid response team can function as an enhanced version of the Connect team, ideally including peer support and social workers. He stresses the importance of continued distribution of sterile supplies to combat overdoses and prevent the transmission of diseases like HIV and hepatitis C, highlighting the effectiveness and cost-efficiency of harm reduction strategies.
