Abbotsford led the way today in advocating for more detox and treatment options for people in BC at the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) conference in Vancouver.
We are grateful for the support we received for our resolution, and pleased that UBCM will now be calling on the BC government to expand rapid access to those services across the province.
The City’s resolution originally asked for more detox beds in the Fraser Health Region. This is because, despite its size and population, Fraser Health has only one publicly-funded facility that offers rapid access to detox. And that facility only has 24 beds.
However, as the resolution gained support from communities outside of Fraser Health, the wording was amended to call for more access to detox across BC given the need for those services provincewide.
The UBCM decision comes on the heels of a heartbreaking story involving a 13-year-old girl who died from exposure to toxic drugs in Abbotsford while her parents pleaded for the additional support she desperately needed.
As a City Council, we know there is simply not enough support for people struggling with an addiction and their lives are ending in tragedy.
Abbotsford Substance Use System Access – Journey Mapping Project
Utilizing funds from a SparcBC Homelessness Community Action Grant, the City of Abbotsford partnered with UBC’s Centre for Advancing Health Outcomes to conduct a collaborative research initiative that would identify and address barriers that exist for unhoused individuals in Abbotsford in accessing substance use services, like detox and treatment. The research compiled insights from frontline social service workers representing 25 different agencies involving 27 interviews, focus groups and field observations that focused on the experiences of both the service providers and clients. The report highlights key challenges, including the lack of treatment options, toxic drug supply and systemic delays that hinder timely access to detox and other services.
It determined that the four main factors that influence one’s access to services are environment, motivation, housing status and the availability of those services. These components are made worse by a lack of resources, drug toxicity, the nature of substance use disorders and delays in accessing services.
The report found that the main factors that can pull people out of the “vortex” of substance use and hopelessness are relationships, both between frontline workers and clients and between frontline workers themselves; timely access to resources when clients need them most; and stability, including stabilization capacity in detox and treatment centres and more sober housing.
You can read the full report here.
Combatting addiction in our community is complex and requires collaboration and coordination with multiple agencies at multiple levels. Through this City-commissioned research and the endorsed UBCM resolution for more detox beds, we are taking action to better understand and address drug addiction challenges that are felt across BC and hope this can help bring much needed support so no more lives are lost.
Abbotsford City Council