By CHAT News Today

Supervised consumption site opens on Kainai First Nation

Mar 10, 2018 | 7:00 AM

STANDOFF, AB —A supervised consumption site has been set up in Standoff to help the community with its ongoing opioid crisis.

Alberta Health Services’ ATCO Trailer has been set up in the community to provide lifesaving medical supervision and help prevent opioid overdoses. The trailer was opened on Friday by ARCHES, the harm-reduction agency.

“The opioid crisis is hitting this community hard and my heart goes out to individuals and families grieving the loss of loved ones,” said Brandy Payne, Associate Minister of Health, in a news release. “We are doing all we can to save lives and prevent more overdoses. We are working closely with Kainai First Nation to provide additional emergency services for people in Stand Off and the surrounding communities.”

Kainai First Nation declared a local state of emergency on March 2 after reporting a spike in overdoses from fentanyl and opioids. Between Feb. 23 and March 2, the Blood Tribe Department of Health reported 150 emergency calls related to opioids.

The service will be available from 2-10 p.m. daily. People can go to the site to use the substances under the medical supervision of staff who will intervene if they witness an overdose.

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More than 300 additional naloxone kits have been sent to the community, as well as AHS addiction and mental health staff to provide ongoing support and training.

Opioid dependency treatment is available at the Cardston AHS clinic, 30 kilometres south of Stand Off. There are 118 patients receiving treatment at this clinic, with new patients being added weekly.