Five Vancouver Island communities are receiving high-priority funding, including Duncan and Nanaimo.
The money comes from the provincial government’s new Community Overdose Crisis Innovation Fund and is geared toward those communities that already have community action teams and are deemed to have the greatest need for support during the overdose crisis.
Duncan is receiving one hundred thousand dollars and Our Cowichan’s Cindy Lise says the funding goes to extensive core interventions when it comes to overdose prevention.
Victoria, Port Alberni, and Campbell River are also receiving funding.
What the funding will be used for:
- Expanding community-level overdose prevention services.
- Ensuring the availability of naloxone wherever it is needed.
- Addressing the toxic drug supply through expanded drug-checking services.
- Increasing connections to addiction treatment medications.
- Proactively supporting people at risk of overdose by intervening early to provide services like treatment and housing.
- Raising community awareness of overdose risk and strategies to increase safety.
