$1.13 Million Detox and Residential Treatment Facility Proposal Made; Operations Could Run Early As Fourth Quarter

In an effort to help prevent drug overdoses and save lives, politicians, local medical figures and addiction support staff have declared an application for a detox and residential treatment facility announced at Showplace Performance Theatre on Monday morning.

Last year, 539 individuals from our community attended the Emergency Department for drug poisoning, Emergency Medical Services responded to 357 opioid poisonings 911 calls according to PPH. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

MPP Dave Smith, Mayor Jeff Leal and County Warden Bonnie Clark announced the proposal in a joint effort from the Canadian Mental Health Association Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge (CMHA HKPR) and FourCast. In attendance were representatives from FourCast, CMHA HKPE, Peterborough Public Health, Peterborough EMS, Peterborough Police Service and Peterborough Regional Health Centre alongside the politicians, announcing their support for the facility.

“Peterborough Public Health welcomes this proposal for more local treatment and detox services and the opportunity it creates to strengthen our response to the drug poisoning crisis” said Dr. Thomas Piggott, PPH medical officer of health. “Along with the Peterborough Drug Strategy partners we have been advocating for more tools to address the crisis for over a decade. If funded this will become a critical part of the local response.”

The facility will primarily serve Peterborough County, City of Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland County, Haliburton County, Curve Lake, Alderville and Hiawatha First Nations. The proposal of $1.13 million annually for a two-year period is serving as a pilot basis to determine its effectiveness for further consideration.

“If the funding letter is provided to us by the end of March, we could potentially be operational by the fourth of this year, sometime in the fall,” said MPP Dave Smith.

Additional funding of just under $300,000 will be needed from local community partners to help establish the facility during the two-year pilot basis. The information and progress will go to Ontario Health to determine its effectiveness.

Six drug and six detox beds will be available at the facility for those battling with addictions. Waitlists for beds can take one to two days depending on demand but residential treatment can take from three to six months. The location has yet to be determined.

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