Opioid Response Hub Created In Downtown Peterborough

Peterborough has a new Opioid Response Hub thanks to the ongoing collaborative efforts of numerous community agencies and organizations.

The former Greyhound bus station at 220 Simcoe Street will be the new home of PARN’s Harm Reduction Works program and the soon-to-be launched Mobile Strategic Overdose Response Team (MSORT). With this location secured, community partners can now submit an application for a Consumption Treatment Services (CTS) site to operate out of this location.

“We are thrilled that we are working with a property owner who understands the importance of harm reduction in Peterborough, especially at a time when the poisoned drug supply is taking so many lives in our community,” says Charles Shamess, Executive Director at PARN.

Photos via PARN Facebook page

Due to challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, PARN has been temporarily running its harm reduction service out of the One City offices at 541 Water Street.

Funded by Peterborough Public Health, PARN’s Harm Reduction program provides sterile drug-use equipment to prevent the transmission of blood-borne viruses such as HIV and Hep C and distributes Naloxone to people at-risk for overdose in the community. This program, called Harm Reduction Works, will begin operating out of the new space during the week of October 12th.

“This is a critical step forward in addressing the drug poisoning crisis affecting our residents,” says Dr. Rosana Salvaterra, Medical Officer of Health for Peterborough Public Health. “We are proud to be a part of this effective collaboration that brought these services and this site together for the benefit of the community.”

The newly announced MSORT team will also be housed at 220 Simcoe Street. This program will connect people to services when they have experienced an overdose and choose not to go to the hospital.

Click here for more info on the initiative.

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