Latest news with #PointInTime
Yahoo
13-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
More funding needed to support Ottawa's overdose prevention strategy: report
Ottawa's top doctor is asking the city's health board to petition the province for long-term overdose prevention funding as toxic drug death numbers continue to surpass pre-pandemic levels. According to a report by Ottawa Public Health, 207 opioid-related deaths were reported in 2023, a nearly three-fold increase from 2019 (65). The highest number of deaths occurred in the first quarter of 2023, with the most deaths occurring in the ByWard Market, Lowertown East, Wateridge Village and West Centretown neighbourhoods. This is the highest number of opioid-related deaths among Ottawa residents in recent years, OPH said. OPH also said there were at least 123 opioid-related deaths between January and September 2024, comparable to the number of deaths in the same period of 2022 but lower than 2023. Data for Q4 2024 is not yet available. The majority of opioid-related deaths were deemed accidental, and many were people aged 25 to 44 years old. The majority of those were also unemployed, with numbers reaching 54 per cent in 2023. 'There continues to be an urgent need for additional supports to more effectively address the ongoing toxic drug supply and the interconnections between a lack of safe, supportive and affordable housing, poverty, trauma, and additional harms that people can experience from substance use,' wrote Dr. Trevor Arnason, Ottawa's interim medical officer of health. But Arnason said the closure of one of four supervised consumption sites in Ottawa has left people who need access to lifesaving services with little to no options, exacerbating existing disparities and placing additional pressures on other sites and surrounding neighbourhoods. Last August, the Somerset West Community Health Centre's supervised consumption site was forced to shut down after the Ontario government banned the sites within 200 metres of schools and childcare centres. The move blindsided CTS officials in Ottawa, who warned it would lead to more overdose deaths. Around 19 per cent of people who died from accidental opioid overdoses were experiencing homelessness at the time they died, according to OPH data. The 2024 Point In Time survey found that 49 per cent of respondents stated a dire need for supportive housing services, 46 per cent needed food security resources and 33 per cent needed mental health resources. 'When asked about health challenges in the 2024 survey, 42 per cent of respondents stated they had a mental health issue and 37 per cent stated they had a substance use issue, with 57 per cent stating they had one or more health condition(s),' the OPH's report read. Arnason said a community-driven approach will continue to be a priority in 2025, which includes initiatives to expand overdose prevention initiatives, enhance outreach efforts and improve access to treatment and safer spaces for drug users. This also includes efforts to advance stigma reduction efforts, strengthen data and surveillance, and improve patient experience in acute care settings. 'The priority areas reflect the need to increase and co-ordinate outreach efforts to truly meet people where they are at, providing a wide range of immediate lifesaving services including overdose prevention and response as well as providing basic necessities and connections into spaces that offer wrap-around services,' he wrote in the report. Arnason also noted that while the two Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment hubs announced for Ottawa is a 'positive step forward,' gaps still persist in wraparound services for drug users. The HART hubs will not provide key harm reduction services such as supervised consumption services or needle exchange programs, which he said are key to reducing deaths and blood-borne illnesses among drug users. 'A sustainable, multisectoral, and multi-governmental response is needed to implement long-term, well-funded solutions across all seven pillars of the Overdose Prevention & Response Strategy. 'Central to this is the urgent need for safe, affordable, and supportive housing. In the immediate term, expanding coordinated outreach services that connect people to safer spaces and wraparound supports—including treatment that is available when and where people need it—has been highlighted as a priority,' the report read. But the report also note that sustainable long-term funding is crucial to combat the toxic drug crisis and expand efforts. Community-based services and social service providers need appropriate and sustainable funding to develop 'innovative solutions,' he said. This includes effective data collection, which is needed to drive effective decisions. Sustainable funding is also key to employ and retain health and social service workers who are already struggling with ongoing workforce challenges. 'Without adequate funding, organizations struggle to offer competitive wages, provide necessary training, and equip staff with the tools they need—leading to burnout, low morale, and the loss of skilled professionals,' Arnason wrote. Ottawa's interim medical officer of health is also asking for increased sustainable funding for services and resources for Indigenous, Inuit and Métis communities. This includes developing a new Indigenous Family Healing Lodge, supporting the Inuit Violence Against Women Shelter and supporting the Aging Out initiative, which helps Indigenous youth aging out of the foster care system/. 'This recommendation comes directly from First Nations, Inuit and Metis leaders,' Arnason said. Arnason's report will be discussed in the Ottawa Board of Health meeting on Monday, April 14. With files from Elizabeth Payne, Postmedia. Our website is your destination for up-to-the-minute news, so make sure to bookmark our homepage and sign up for our newsletters so we can keep you informed.
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Yahoo
Greenberg unveils plans for mountain bike park at former homeless camp in south Louisville
Mayor Craig Greenberg unveiled plans for a new mountain bike park in Louisville's South End on Tuesday. The park will be on Park Boulevard, underneath the I-264 overpass near the Muhammad Ali International Airport. Preliminary plans show four sections of track for beginners up to advanced bikers, complete with jumps, hairpin turns and more. "We're going to create spaces that will make it possible to host mountain biking events that will draw people from all around, from each end of the country and add to the outstanding momentum that we have in our tourism and hospitality sectors," Greenberg said. The proposed park is on the site of a previous homeless encampment that the city "relocated," Greenberg said. "There were homeless encampments in this area and crime," Greenberg said. "People in this area could not feel safe, and that's not acceptable." Greenberg said individuals experiencing homelessness have local options, including the Community Cares Campus, which recently opened a temporary shelter to house six to 12 families. The full campus, which will include a family emergency shelter, is not expected to be completed until later this year. Local homeless outreach workers have criticized the Greenberg administration's use of the term relocation for camp clearings, saying those forced to move often have nowhere to go. According to data from the Coalition for the Homeless, nearly 600 people were living unsheltered during a Point In Time count in 2024. Deputy Mayor Nicole George could not give a specific date on when the camp where the bike park will be was relocated but said the city continues working to relocate encampments. "Parcels of property that lack consistent management, which are going to compound with drugs, make them ripe for illicit activities," George said. No budget or cost estimates are set for the park yet, as it's still in the early development phase, George said. A community meeting to give input on the preliminary designs will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Beechmont Community Center. Derek Fetko with the Kentucky Mountain Bike Association said mountain bikers often have to drive several hours to find a similar park to practice skills or participate in competitions. "This is how people come together, make new friends and develop their hobby," Fetko said. Louisville Metro Councilwoman Betsy Ruhe, who represents the district the proposed park will be in, said she believes the park will benefit the area. "I'm really excited to bring something positive to a neglected area and to bring an asset to our city that we don't have," Ruhe said. More: A Louisville abortion clinic drew intense protests. Now it's being demolished Reach reporter Keely Doll at kdoll@ This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville to build mountain bike park on site of former homeless camp
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Annual Point-in-Time Count sheds light on homeless population
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — The Homeless Coalition of the Wabash Valley hosted the annual Point In Time (PIT) Count across the region to get a better understanding of how many people are experiencing homelessness. According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, more than 750,000 people experienced homelessness on a single night in January of 2024. That's an eight percent increase from 2023. Volunteers hit the ground running Wednesday morning, in hopes of meeting the unhoused population out in the community, bringing everyday essentials, like sleeping bags, tents, and food in an effort to meet immediate needs. 'Living in an alley' Terre Haute homeless share their experience Local organizations came together to participate in the 2025 PIT. It's a nationwide effort to assess the number of individuals experiencing homelessness. 'It's a snapshot in time, it's a one-day count,' Kelly Fuller Chair of the Homeless Coalition of the Wabash Valley said. 'So, it starts at midnight and goes through midnight,' she added. In Vigo County, the Homeless Council of the Wabash Valley helps put on the count, and local shelters like Pathways Day Center plays a central role in the process, serving as a hub. The PIT Count, which occurs annually in January, is crucial for helping local governments and organizations understand the scope of homelessness in their communities. The data collected guides funding decisions, policy-making, and the allocation of resources for homelessness services. 'They look at the service gaps for housing and funding to meet those needs and then as a coalition we go back and look at any other needs. Do they have hygiene needs, do they have toilet paper? Which seems like a normal thing for anyone else, but that's like gold for people that are not housed,' Fuller said. In Terre Haute, Reach Services Pathways hosted a full day of services alongside the count. Grace Medical was on site for screenings. WTWO caught up with Terry Hedges who said he's experiencing homelessness. 'I've been chasing housing for eight years now and it always seems like when I get closer there's another hoop I gotta go through,' Hedges said. 'It's getting overwhelming now. I'm getting to the point where I'm tired,' he added. The 2024 PIT Count showed a concerning rise in homelessness in the region. In Vigo County, local shelters report a significant increase in individuals seeking help, mirroring national trends. 'We're really around 260-290 (people), when we did the count last year. I feel like we're still going to be in that range because we saw quite a few people at the emergency warming center who were still unhoused and unsheltered. And then we've got the Lotus Center which will hopefully be opening soon. It's just going to be another emergency shelter,' Fuller said. 'Terre Haute is doing as much as they can with the funding, as far as housing and homes,' Hedges said. 'But I also believe there could be more done.' The community's collective effort Thursday is not only about counting the unhoused but also about offering a supportive, compassionate environment where individuals can access services that might otherwise be out of reach For those interested in helping unhoused neighbors, Fuller recommends making donations or volunteering at emergency warming centers, like Pathways. Fuller said they are in the process of training volunteers to be ready to go as the need for emergency shelters arrives throughout the year. For more information or to get involved contact Reach Services, Pathways at 812-917-3287. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
