FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. -- Chief Operating Officer of Northern Health responded to the confusion over the Peer Outreach Program in Fort St. John.
Angela De Smit confirmed to CJDC News there will be a mobile overdose prevention site established to help combat the overdose crisis.
The mobile site will be run by Northern Health staff, nurses, and life skills workers. Staff will supervise injections, monitor clients post-consumption and provide harm reduction supplies, including naloxone kits and clean needles. The program will also provide nursing service and respond to overdoses if necessary.
De Smit says a permanent mobile overdose prevention sitewill eventually be built in Fort St. John.
“The intention is to have outreach services in conjunction with the mobile van so that they're working with that team. It’s greater support and greater connection to resources and so it kind of dovetails into all of the programs,“ says De Smit.
De Smit cleared up confusion from earlier this week about the peer outreach team. On Tuesday, Northern Health confirmed to CJDC News, the outreach program in Fort St. John would be saved. Then one of the team members, Terilynn Schultz, announced she was quitting, after announcing the program was continuing. On Friday, De Smit said you can’t quit a program that’s been discontinued.
When asked why Northern Health announced it was saving a program that was in fact cancelled, De Smit couldn’t explain the miscommunication.
