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home / 世界杯决赛2022

alberta now offering medication to help treat opioid addiction at municipal jails

people who are arrested and brought to municipal jails ...

by ashley joannou

dec 17 2021
read time 2 minute read
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associate minister of mental health and addictions mike ellis. larry wong / postmedia network
people who are arrested and brought to municipal jails in alberta now have access to medication used to help treat opioid addiction.

associate minister of mental health and addictions mike ellis announced thursday that medications including suboxone and the newly funded injectable version, sublocade are being offered in jails beginning in edmonton, calgary, grande prairie, wetaskiwin, st. paul and stony plain using a $1.4 million expansion of the province’s virtual opioid dependency program.

sublocade is an injectable version of the opioid treatment medication suboxone and lasts in a person’s system for 30 days as opposed to 24 hours with the tablet-based version. the drugs can provide stabilization, reduce cravings, and potentially block overdoses.
people typically only remain in municipal facilities for a short period of time after being arresting — usually a maximum of 20 hours, according to the government. dr. nathaniel day, medical director of alberta health services’ virtual opioid dependency program (vodp), said those arrested will be assessed by multidisciplinary teams including someone who can discuss options and potentially prescribe the medication.
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“if a person is then released from police custody, later that day, or the next day, that person has the opportunity to continue with treatment, and vodp will assist that person in bridging to the local most appropriate care as needed,” he said.
a holding cell in the detainee management unit at the edmonton police service northwest division station in edmonton on thursday, dec. 16, 2021. the alberta government announced $1.4 million to expand and create a low-barrier/harm reduction division of the virtual opioid dependency program (vodt) to offer rapid assessment and treatment initiations for those struggling with addiction and opioid use while in police detention.
a holding cell in the detainee management unit at the edmonton police service northwest division station in edmonton on thursday, dec. 16, 2021. the alberta government announced $1.4 million to expand and create a low-barrier/harm reduction division of the virtual opioid dependency program (vodt) to offer rapid assessment and treatment initiations for those struggling with addiction and opioid use while in police detention. larry wong / postmedia
edmonton police service chief dale mcfee said mental health and addiction issues are often intertwined with the criminal justice system and getting arrested is sometimes “a critical moment where we have an opportunity to help.”
“our detainee management officers can provide information for external resources and supports but by having this new, direct, and immediate access to addiction recovery specialists, we can save lives,” he said.
dr. ginetta salvalaggio, one of the co-chairs of the edmonton medical zone staff association’s opioid poisoning committee, said having options for people looking for recovery is good, and she understands the police are trying to help, but this is not a route she would have chosen.
she’s worried that involving police and a jail setting will lead to a lopsided power dynamic making it harder to ensure there is informed and autonomous consent before giving the medication.
“it does nothing to improve trust with health systems if a police officer or a police representative tells someone you have to engage,” she said.
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salvalaggio said it’s hard for someone to consent if few choices are available to them.
“it’s the same thing with clinical work, you have to make sure it’s actually an open decision, and that there are a number of options that are offered, including but not limited to treatment and other treatment options beyond what’s being offered,” she said.
calgary police service chief mark neufeld said the program is voluntary and treatment won’t be forced on anyone coming into custody.
“i think this is another opportunity across the spectrum to be able to deal with, and support those, who are battling addictions in our communities,” he said.
ellis’ press secretary eric engler said in a statement thursday that the doctor who performed the initial assessment would be responsible for determining issues of consent like with any other doctor/patient relationship.
ajoannou@postmedia.com
twitter.com/ashleyjoannou

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