It’s been nearly a year since multiple agencies came together to release Saskatoon’s report and recommendations on tackling the city’s crystal meth crisis.
Despite numerous agencies coming together for the Community Response to crystal meth in Saskatoon, limited steps have been done because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The report was released by the Crystal Meth Working Group (CMWG) in February 2020 and had 29 strategic actions spanning five different areas, from prevention to data integration between organizations offering services to people living with addiction.
“Crystal meth, and substance use in general, is still a concern in Saskatoon. The community focus has shifted to ensuring the health of all staff and reimagining what services could look like so people can still access support in a safe and appropriate way,” said the CMWG’s Colleen Christopherson-Cote.
The CMWG is made up of organizations offering any kind of service to those who could be dealing with mental health or addiction issues like the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA); first responders; the provincial justice, health and social services ministries; and Prairie Harm Reduction (PHR).
PHR’s associate director said it’s understandable given the circumstances, but anticipated being further along from where the group is at this point before COVID-19 became a factor.
“I think our goal was by this time we would have all of those initiatives started or at least close to starting,” Kayla DeMong said, noting crystal meth is still the most used drug in the city.
Some of the items that have started include social workers or mental health workers attending drug calls with police and the creation of a drug treatment court in Saskatoon.
The justice ministry sent a statement to Global News saying a timeline hasn’t been set, but Regina’s drug court is able to accommodate referrals from other cities on a case-by-case basis.
The SHA noted the pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on health care.
“The work has refocused on reimagining our services in new ways, given the context of the pandemic and public health orders, so that people can still access needed supports in a safe way for everyone,” director of mental health and addictions Nicole Schumacher said in a statement to Global News.
She said those adjustments include phone calls and virtual appointments.
But DeMong noted attending such appointments isn’t easy for many who are living with addiction.
“Access to wifi, access to technology, access to a phone are all pretty non-existent in a lot of people’s lives,” she said.
Before the report was released, Saskatoon Police Service, another partner in the CMWG, said one dose of crystal meth could be sold on the street for as little as $3.
DeMong also said with the borders closed and other drugs not being moved into the country, some drug users are turning to whatever might be available.
Global News reached out to SPS for comment but it declined, noting much of the work has been postponed.
A request for comment from the social services ministry did not receive a response by time of publishing.
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