Addiction services in Windsor combat abuse issues

To help fight drug abuse issues, Windsor has a total of 28 community agencies to assist addicts and their families.

Two community agencies, Hôtel-Dieu Grace Healthcare and the Welcome Centre, provide a multitude of addiction services. The Welcome Centre’s needle syringe program is a harm reduction service providing clean drug supplies, and Hôtel-Dieu’s withdrawal management and detox programs provide help to those beginning their path to recovery.

Patrick Kolowicz, Hôtel-Dieu’s director of mental health and addictions, said that the drug and alcohol problem in Windsor is serious and multi-faceted.

“We’re seeing different trends in the substances that people misuse,” said Kolowicz. “Number one has always been, and will likely always continue to be, alcohol. Number two is a newer trend [of] crystal meth and number three is opiates.”

Even though Hôtel-Dieu has ample resources to provide medical aid, Kolowicz said that community support is necessary in an addict’s recovery.

“We have the resources involved in the initial step in someone’s recovery, we have detox and withdrawal management services,” said Kolowicz. “We offer some addiction services, but in terms of our overall addiction strategy, it does require the whole community,”

Welcome Centre volunteer coordinator Anastasia Adams said that though there is no healthy way to smoke crystal meth, the Welcome Centre provides clean drug use tools to make the process less dangerous.

“What we provide here at the shelter is a harm reduction model. We make sure that anyone who stays with us has access to safe injection kits, safe inhalation kits, and safe sexual health products,” said Adams. “[That includes] access to new materials, so that people don’t have to use used materials which put you at risk for HIV, AIDS, and Hepatitis B.”

Hôtel-Dieu Grace Hospital and the Welcome Centre continue to welcome and assist people suffering from drug addiction through their services and education as they provide help to those who need it the most.