It’s a hidden problem.
That’s according to a recently released draft of the city’s new Social Action Plan regrading mental health and substance issues in Delta, which notes overdoses are taking place in homes or workplaces, with a high concentration of suspected overdoses and addictions in the construction and trades sectors.
“This presents unique challenges in developing city-wide interventions and support systems for residents who need help accessing resources,” the report notes.
The report also states that there is a problem of stigma, which can have a tremendous effect on people with mental health issues or those using drugs, and their ability to seek help.
“The language we use about mental health and substance use can have a direct and profound impact on reducing stigma,” the report states.
The report notes there are long waitlists at government agencies for Delta residents who need mental health help, particularly for children and youth, as well as limited funding available for prevention-based resources for families.
The draft Social Action Plan also notes, “In the last decade, there has been a tenfold increase in overdose fatalities in Delta. In 2020, there were 20 overdose deaths in Delta - a situation that mirrors many other Metro Vancouver municipalities with overdose deaths reaching historic highs.”
As far as overdose calls attended by BC Ambulance Service, “In 2020, there were 167 overdose events attended by BC Ambulance Service (BCAS). From January to June 2021, there were 90 overdose events attended by BCAS in Delta, signaling a continuing upward trend in the overdose rate.”
As of November 2020, there were 16 “Take Home Naloxone” sites in Delta, while 310 clients were dispensed Opioid Agonist Treatment at Delta pharmacies and 15 Opioid Agonist Prescribers in Delta.
The report also outlines actions already in place to deal with the problem by the city, police department, school district and community partners, including the Delta Overdose Community Action Team (DCAT).
DCAT was stablished in 2018 as a community-driven collaborative group, co-chaired by Deltassist and Fraser Health.
Some of the goals and actions outlined in the action plan includes the city improving community awareness about mental health and harm reduction services and programs available to Delta residents, as well as supporting and enhancing community capacities to address the needs of those affected by mental health or substance use disorders.
Among the other potential actions for the city is working with members of DCAT and business associations on organizing a forum for all service providers to better understand the challenges and opportunities of the mental health and substance use supports service provision in Delta.
Meanwhile, the Delta Police Department is being provided funding through the city’s budget for a new Police Community Advocate position, aimed at providing support services to vulnerable residents coming into contact with police.
The goal is to divert individuals out of the criminal justice system by connecting them with proper treatment, services and resources to promote behavioral health that may not be readily available.
According to the latest numbers released Dec. 9 by the BC Coroners Service, an increasingly toxic and volatile illicit drug supply in B.C. has claimed at least 201 lives in October and 1,782 lives in the first 10 months of 2021.
October is the first month in which 200 lives were lost to illicit drugs in B.C., while the lives lost between January and October already represent the highest number of deaths due to drug toxicity ever recorded in the province in a calendar year.
More than 8,300 people have died as a result of drug toxicity since the public health emergency into substance-related harms was declared in April 2016.
The City of Delta this year launched its Share Your Story initiative, a collaboration which includes Delta Police, Delta School District, Fraser Health Authority and Tsawwassen First Nation.
The campaign aims to reduce stigma around substance use and empower individuals to share their stories.
It builds on Delta’s End the Stigma campaign, which was launched in 2020, as a series of bus-stop posters to combat stigma and promote community supports and resources available locally.
The City of Delta had previously urged the federal government to declare the opioid overdose crises a national public health emergency.
In a letter last December to federal Minister of Health Patty Hajdu, Mayor George Harvie reiterated a call by the province and other municipalities to recognize the overdose crisis as a national public emergency, and work with the provinces to develop a comprehensive plan.
He noted that, compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic, communities across Canada are seeing a devastating increase in the number of opioid-related overdoses and deaths, and the City of Delta has not been immune to those deaths.
A previous Delta staff report noted the public health emergency declaration by the provincial government allowed for the collection of, as well as access to, more robust and up-to-date data on overdose activity across the province, including overdose and fatality data from Fraser Health and the BC Coroners Service.
