Red Deer's overdose prevention site will be gone next spring once new services are in place to tackle drug and alcohol addiction in the city.
To address overdoses, a Dynamic Overdose Response Team of paramedics and licensed practical nurses will monitor a designated area of Safe Harbour Society's homeless shelter, as well as the surrounding block.
Perry Goddard, Safe Harbour executive director, said the team will be available if someone who comes to the shelter, or outside the shelter, needs medical assistance, and to work with people with an overdose history.
Unlike Recovery Alberta's overdose prevention site, where people can use their drugs and access medical interventions if necessary, people will not be able to bring drugs to use at the shelter.
"We certainly don't encourage or support use within the shelter," Goddard said.
Since October 2018, the Red Deer overdose prevention site has been operating at a temporary site in an ATCO trailer in the parking lot next to the Safe Harbour detox building.
Earlier this year, Red Deer city council put forward and passed a motion requesting a transition of the drug consumption site to instead implement options focused on health, wellness and recovery.
In response, the province announced $3.4 million towards new services on Monday. Other services included:
• A Mobile Rapid Access Addiction Medicine clinic operated by Recovery Alberta in the Safe Harbour homeless shelter parking lot to provide screening, diagnosis, referral to services, access to the Virtual Opioid Dependency Program, education, naloxone kits and needle exchange.
• Recovery coaches in and around the shelter to provide outreach services.
• Enhancements to medically supported detox capacity in partnership with Safe Harbour.
Goddard said improvements to services are sorely needed, and Safe Harbour looks forward to getting more resources.
"It's going to save lives. Enhancing our services means we can provide a better continuum of supports for a population that's severely underserved.
He said it's exciting to be involved in the upcoming changes.
"Like a lot of shelters, our staff do a lot with very little. It really does underscore the importance of these front-line organizations within the community of Red Deer," Goddard said.
The province also recently provided more than $1.2 million over the next two years to the Red Deer Dream Centre to support 20 additional publicly funded addiction treatment beds.
“Our council is pleased to see this new path forward for recovery-oriented services in Red Deer. At the heart of our council’s and community’s efforts is the belief that recovery is possible for everyone, especially the most vulnerable," said Mayor Ken Johnston, in a statement.
"This is a complex challenge and only by working with all our partners at the province, agencies, businesses, faith communities and all Red Deerians will we create a safe, healthy and prosperous community. We look forward to close collaboration with the province as these changes are made.”
Red Deer-South MLA Jason Stephan said transitioning the overdose prevention site out of Red Deer and focusing on recovery is the right thing to do.
"Thank you to the Government of Alberta and Red Deer City Council for leading, listening and doing what is right," Stephan said.
The province said it is working closely with the city, Safe Harbour, Recovery Alberta and others to implement the new supports starting this fall.
“I am pleased to see that Alberta’s government is working collaboratively with our local government and service providers. This plan ensures we prioritize Red Deer’s needs while also supporting individuals in their pursuit of recovery," added Health Minister and Red Deer-North MLA Adriana LaGrange.
Mental Health and Addiction Minister Dan Williams said his government will always listen to and take seriously the feedback received from elected local leaders.
"This is a well-thought-out plan that aligns with Red Deer’s needs and requests, which is why the province is making these changes and increasing support for the community. We remain committed to protecting the health and well-being of Albertans while actively supporting connections to treatment and recovery," Williams said.