Windsor-Essex health unit says 20 people visited SafePoint in its first 3 weeks of operations

More than three weeks after it first opened, 20 people have visited the SafePoint site in downtown Windsor, Ont.

That's according to the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit (WECHU) which presented numbers on SafePoint's usage from its opening on April 26 to May 17 during its Thursday board meeting.

In that time period, those 20 people visited SafePoint 43 times. Of those 43 visits, 40 per cent did not involve "onsite consumption," according to WECHU.

Eric Nadalin, the health unit's manager of public health programs, said staff at SafePoint have not yet been required to reverse an overdose. There have been zero deaths at an "operating consumption site in all of Canada."

"One of the main reasons for that is you're preventing the overdose up front by having those initial conversations with people, being able to consult with them about their substance, being able to test their substance for the presence of things like fentanyl, being able to talk them about safer consumption so you're preventing the overdose up front rather than responding to it," said Nadalin.

WECHU points to two specific examples of SafePoint's success in its first 22 days of operations.

In one instance, a client who had just been released from incarceration used the site to consume their substance before receiving support from SafePoint staff to complete an ODSP application.

In another example, a client who visited SafePoint to consume a substance set up an email account for the purpose of filling out a housing application, with help from staff, and is now considering treatment options "once their housing needs are met."

Staff at SafePoint have also made 14 referrals to providers of mental health and addictions treatment, income and housing supports, clothing services and primary care.

"It's great to be able to share with the community and the board of health some of the positive stories that are coming out of the operation just in its first three weeks," said Nadalin.

There is one "surprise" in the data for Nadalin: that the 20 unique visitors visiting SafePoint are an approximate even split of men and women. At other sites in Canada, the general visitor base is mostly men.

"It's not what has been seen in other communities. Most have seen, based on our research, a higher proportion of men. But we're happy that this community of women is feeling welcomed at this site as well," said Nadalin.

Despite receiving federal approval to open SafePoint, provincial approval has still not come through yet. According to WECHU CEO Ken Blanchette, discussions between the health unit and province are going in the right direction but a timeline on when provincial approval is expected has not yet been made clear.

In a recent open house at SafePoint, Blanchette said more than 400 people walked through the doors to provide feedback on the site.

"We've been working with the businesses in the local area as well to make sure we're engaging with them and addressing their needs as we go through this piece and having some pretty great success stories about connectivity of the clients that have been using this site to the services that we also offer in Windsor-Essex," said Blanchette. “They are continuously engaging with surrounding businesses to mitigate any security concerns they may have."

Blanchette added, "There was fear of the unknown, perhaps, in relation to other examples across the province. But we modeled our operation to some of the most successful sites that have had great partnerships with their surrounding businesses.”

Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare is the operational lead at SafePoint. The site allows people to consume substances in a supervised manner while being offered referrals to social services such as housing, medical care and rehabilitation.

Following a compromise made in February between Windsor City Council and the health unit to find a new site for SafePoint, Blanchette said Thursday that discussions have begun with Ward 3 Coun. Renaldo Agostino who will lead the relocation committee.

"We're having those conversations right now to be able to put that committee together and do that process," said Blanchette.