L-R Ryan Oscar - CMHA Addictions Crisis Worker, Cst. Travis Funk MHPS

By Chantal Wagner

Addictions Crisis Team working in the community

May 28, 2021 | 11:14 AM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – The Addictions Crisis Team (ACT) is a collaboration with city police, the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), and AHS.

The program helps the vulnerable population who are struggling with addictions.

Its funding was cut last March, but now it’s back for one year as the CMHA received COVID funding from the province.

Ryan Oscar is an addictions crisis worker.

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He’s the one that gets called when someone cannot manage due to addiction.

“That looks different for everybody. What might be a crisis for you isn’t a crisis for me or vice versa. It’s just when someone’s ability to cope is overwhelmed, that’s when we can try to help out,” he told Chat News.

Ryan is the only caseworker on the Addictions Crisis Team.

He goes out into the community and takes referrals, including from the police.

“If a patrol constable goes to a call and they interact with someone that could maybe use some extra support, they can call Ryan directly and have Ryan reach out to that individual,” Cst. Travis Funk said.

Cst. Funk adds they receive between 80-100 calls per month that have some kind of mental health and addiction component.

Ryan says nine times out of ten, addiction is the most prevalent issue his clients experience along with its consequences.

“Most of the time it’s something either than just the addiction, Ryan said. “So it’s listening to them, figuring out what I can use to help motivate them to look at certain pieces and recognize those pieces and work on the change piece with them.”

And Ryan knows the journey.

Along with his education in addictions counselling, he also has lived experience.

Which allows him to connect with someone through self-disclosure.

“A lot of times people will ask me when I sit down to connect with them the first time they say ‘What do you know about addictions?’ Then I have an opportunity to tell them what I know first hand based on some of my experience and a lot of times that helps build that therapeutic connection,” he explained.

Since last September, Ryan says he has helped upwards of 80 people.

Connection and listening are key.

The CMHA’s southeast region executive director Sandra Milne says Ryan basically works out of his car to meet client’s needs.

He helps those struggling to navigate the resources and supports them along their journey.

“So wherever the client or participant is at, that’s where Ryan meets them,” Milne said. “So whether it’s in cells, at the library, or for a coffee, he is available.”

Ryan has about 30 clients, but at times he is helping double that.

Milne says there is definitely a need for a second addictions crisis worker in the city.

But funding is limited and that position will be ending in September.

In the meantime, the CMHA is applying for grants and fundraising specifically for the program.

Ryan says ACT is open to anyone in the community who’s struggling and facing any type of crisis in their life.