WINDSOR-ESSEX COMMUNITY OPIOID AND SUBSTANCE STRATEGY ANNUAL REPORT 2023
MESSAGE FROM THE CO-CHAIRS OF WECOSS
The sixth year of the Strategy demonstrated the WECOSS’ progress on addressing stigma and the changing attitudes towards substance use across our community. Notably, 2023 saw the realization of critical harm reduction strategies and changed perceptions of these services in our community. The WECOSS will continue to advocate for and implement interventions that reduce the harms associated with substance use guided by our Action Plan and driven by the needs of our region.
Eric Nadalin
Director of Public Health Programs,
Windsor-Essex County Health Unit
The 2023 calendar year contained a number of meaningful steps forward for the WECOSS and for those who use substances in Windsor-Essex. The realization of SafePoint enhanced harm reduction services and access to treatment through over 1200 visits in its first months of operations. The WECOSS and partners are committed to continuing to address stigma associated with harm reduction and improve access to treatment for those who use substances in our community.
Patrick Kolowicz
Director of Mental Health and Addictions,
Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare
Introduction
The Windsor-Essex Community Opioid and Substance Strategy (WECOSS) is a collaboration of community partners brought together to address the drug poisoning crisis. Utilizing a four-pillar approach, the WECOSS works to address the harms of substance use at the community level through Prevention and Education, Harm Reduction, Treatment and Recovery, and Enforcement and Justice interventions. The Strategy is led by a diverse network of community agencies, organizations, and people with lived/living experience (PWLE) using substances.
Since the establishment of the Strategy in 2018, an Annual Report has been released as part of the WECOSS’ commitment to ongoing community engagement. Each Annual Report highlights the work being done to address substance use in the community through the collaborative efforts of our WECOSS partners. The 2023 Annual Report provides an overview of the activities undertaken throughout the Strategy in its sixth year of implementation.
Figure 1 - WECOSS STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION FOR 2022
Leadership Committee
Working Group
PROJECTS
- Continuous Communication
Working Group
PROJECTS
- Assessing Alternative to Criminalization
Working Group
PROJECTS
- Enhancing PATHWAYS
Working Group
PROJECTS
- Municipal Substance Use Supports
Foundational Activities
Opioid and Substance Use Notification System
The Opioid and Substance Use Notification System (OSUNS) tracks local trends in real-time data to identify spikes in opioid and other substance use-related events across Windsor-Essex County. Alerts are issued when there are elevated rates of opioid-related emergency department visits and overdoses in the region. This information can be used to mobilize community organizations that serve people who use substances to heighten awareness about these increases across the community, while also seeking to improve and strengthen local overdose prevention and harm reduction activities.
In 2023, there were eight (8) community alerts issued. At least one alert was issued per month, except for May and June, up until October 23rd, 2023, as hospital data was not available for verification.
An evaluation of the OSUNS was conducted with the WECOSS membership to:
- Understand the early impacts of the system on the community.
- Identify areas to improve the scope and reach of the system’s activities.
- Determine emerging needs at the local level for substance use monitoring and surveillance.
A total of 31 representatives from various community agencies completed the survey.
The results indicated that local service providers are aware of and use the alert system to inform their work.
- 97% have knowledge of the purpose of the OSUNS.
- 90% agree that the alerts increase their awareness of local substance use trends.
- 87% find the information in the alerts relevant to local needs.
- 71% use the alerts within the context of their work.
Focus groups were also conducted with the working groups and two themes along with six sub-themes were identified:
- Process Improvement
- Timeliness of alerts
- Salience of information
- Tailored communication
- Responsibility of recipients
- Process Expansion
- Coordinated community response
- Communication mechanisms
Recommendations included:
- More real-time monitoring
- Enabling text alerts
- More media coverage
- Linking community substance programs to the alerts
- Expanding the knowledge of the public regarding the OSUNS
In 2024, the WECOSS will update the OSUNS process with the recommendations generated from the evaluation and engage with peers to examine if the alerts meet the needs of people who use substances.
Project Summaries
Continuous Communication
WECOSS Modernization Alignment: Support consistent and structured public communication across different channels to promote the WECOSS as an information hub for substance use.
Project Summary: A communication campaign was developed to increase education and awareness about substance use and community interventions to address substance use through promotion of WECOSS.ca as the centralized hub for evidence-based information.
Outputs:
- Community Partner Toolkit developed which includes:
- 19 key messages
- 21 social media messages
- 5 social media graphics
- 5 TV displays
Next Steps: In 2024, the WECOSS will launch the Communication Campaign and incorporate a polysubstance use approach that will include messaging about cannabis, alcohol, and tobacco/nicotine.
ONGOING WORK
Medicine Cabinet Clean Out: In collaboration with the Windsor Police Service and Lasalle Police Service, a medicine take-back event was hosted in November at the Devonshire Mall to collect unused/expired medication for proper disposal.
- 17+ lbs. of medication was collected and brought to a local pharmacy for safe disposal.
In 2024, the WECOSS plans to expand to bi-annual collection events.
Assessing Alternatives to Criminalization
WECOSS Modernization Alignment: Augment harm reduction services and supplies through coordinated agency involvement and policy supports.
Project Summary: Alternatives to Criminalization, such as Decriminalization, have been endorsed by several organizations across Canada as one part of a multipronged approach to addressing the drug poisoning crisis. A literature review was conducted to examine the evidence basis for this intervention along with an analysis of local data and current strategies in place to support this approach. Several documents were produced examining Decriminalization in the context of Windsor-Essex County for future implementation of this policy approach.
Outputs:
- Briefing Note on Decriminalization developed and shared with the WECOSS.
- 16 key messages on alternatives to criminalization created.
Next Steps: In 2024, the WECOSS will share the key messages with the public to build awareness and provide education about alternatives to criminalization.
ONGOING WORK
Urgent Public Health Need Site (SafePoint): SafePoint opened on April 26th, 2023, to provide supervised consumption, drug checking, harm reduction supplies and education, basic medical care, and other wraparound services including addictions treatment, mental health, primary care, and social services. SafePoint operations have been paused, effective January 1st, 2024, due to a hold on SafePoint’s funding application to the Ontario Ministry of Health. From April 26th to December 31st, there were:
- 1,257 total client visits
- 248 unique clients
- 5 overdoses reversed (4 treated on-site, 1 transported to the ED for treatment)
- 552 visits for consumption
- 705 visits for other services
- 23 drug checks performed on-site
More details can be found in the monthly board reports available at https://www.wechu.org/boh-docs
Ongoing Community Engagement for SafePoint: As part of the acquired legal exemption to operate SafePoint as an Urgent Public Health Need Site and the commitment to ongoing community engagement, SafePoint engaged in various activities.
- 1 media event to promote the site launch
- 3 Virtual Town Hall events held with neighbourhood stakeholders.
- 20+ private tours held with community partners/area businesses, people with lived/living experience, and the public prior to the site launch.
- 19 public inquiries addressed from SafePoint online feedback form
- 95+ attendees across 17 public open houses offered weekly upon site opening.
- 12 SafePoint Advisory Committee meetings facilitated to inform ongoing planning and decision-making for the site.
- SafePoint business outreach and engagement resources developed and shared with the Downtown Windsor Business Improvement Association.
- 1.9k views on virtual site tour video of SafePoint on YouTube.
Needle Syringe Program: Pozitive Pathways Community Services (PPCS) continued with the provision of the Needle Syringe Program to increase access to harm reduction supplies.
- 20,870 client transactions were recorded by local NSP sites and mobile delivery programs.
- 533,844 needles were distributed.
Needle Disposal Bins: Systematized Data Collection: The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit (WECHU) continued to track the number of needles collected through needle bins installed across the City of Windsor.
- 155 kg of needles were collected through the needle disposal bins installed across the City of Windsor between January and March of 2023
Ontario Naloxone Program (ONP): The WECHU continued to provide training and naloxone kits to registered ONP partners and recruited eligible community agencies into the ONP.
- 29 community partners were actively involved with the ONP, 7 of which were on-boarded
- 1,487 naloxone kits were distributed by participating ONP partners
- 1,106 individuals were trained on naloxone administration by participating ONP partners
Enhancing PATHWAYS to Programs and Services
WECOSS Modernization Alignment: “No Wrong Door” – Enhancing access to services and supports.
Project Summary: An online program and service inventory, WEC Connect, was created using data from the previous year’s environmental scan. WEC Connect was developed to assist individuals in navigating and accessing programs and services that best meet their unique needs. Unlike other navigation tools, WEC Connect includes both privately and publicly funded programs, as well as those offered at the provincial and national level.
Output:
- An online inventory containing 187 substance use, mental health, and addictions programs and services.
Next Steps: In 2024, the WECOSS will launch the inventory for use by the community and develop a mechanism for sustainment, year over year.
Municipal Substance Use Supports
WECOSS Modernization Alignment: Build a shared understanding of community safety and well-being by strengthening public safety and public health partnerships that support vulnerable and marginalized populations.
Project Summary: A survey was conducted with providers who offer services to justice-involved individuals who use substances to identify their educational needs. The findings of this survey will be used to develop a workshop targeted to corrections officers and post-secondary students enrolled in justice and enforcement-based programs. The results indicated that providers have adequate knowledge and confidence when utilizing best practices. A knowledge gap was identified pertaining to local programming.
Outputs:
- 21 service providers across 12 community agencies participated in the survey.
- 100% use inclusive and person-first language.
- 100% use trauma-informed approaches with clients.
- 90% are confident in developing positive relationships with clients.
- Providers wanted more knowledge on the following topics:
- Housing support options
- Local harm reduction services
- Available substance use, mental health, and social service programs
Next Steps: In 2024, the WECOSS will develop workshops for professionals who support justice-involved individuals who use substances as well as post-secondary students pursuing these fields. The workshops will cover topics such as harm reduction, stigma, the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act, and local programming.