Supervised Injection Services (SIS)

The data presented in this infographic was extracted from the Waterloo Region Supervised Injection Services Feasibility Study, February 2018

Supervised Injection Services (SIS)A HAR M R EDU CT ION PR OGR AM

PUBLIC HEALTH ANDEMERGENCY SERVICES

What are the needs in Waterloo Region?

Overdoses • 38 opioid related death in Waterloo

Region in 2016.• 71 suspected overdose related deaths

in Waterloo Region in 2017. • 303 per cent increase in the number

of opioid related overdose calls to Paramedic Services between 2015 and 2017.

• Total number of opioid overdose call in 2017 shown on a thermal map of Waterloo Region. Overdose calls are higher in Cambridge and Kitchener.

• Opioid-related emergency department visits increased 69 per cent between 2015 and 2016.

• Number of naloxone kits distributed has increased from 677 in 2016 to 4,703 in 2017.

Among people who inject drugs • 3,919 is the estimated

number of people who inject drugs in Waterloo Region.

• 39 per cent report acci-dental overdose in their lifetime.

• Fentanyl is presumed responsible for the overdose in 67 per cent of cases.

• 60 per cent called an ambulance.

• Overdose occurred in Kitchener or Cambridge.

Infectious diseases • 135 new cases of Hep-

atitis C in 2017.• 11 new cases of HIV/

AIDS in 2017.

2016

201738 71

OVERDOSES

AMONG PEOPLE WHO INJECT DRUGS

INFECTIOUS DISEASES

2016 2017

677 4,703

303% increase in the

number of opioid related overdose

calls to Paramedic Services between

2015 and 2017

Number of naloxone kits

distributed has increased

Total number of opioid overdose calls (2017)

Opioid-related emergency department visits increased

69% between 2015 and 2016

opioid related deaths in Waterloo Region

suspected overdose related deaths in Waterloo Region

FENTANYL is presumed responsible for the overdose in 67% OF CASES

report accidental overdose in their lifetime

39%

Overdose occurred in

KITCHENER OR CAMBRIDGE

60% called an ambulance

135 new cases of Hepatitis C in 2017

11 new cases of HIV/AIDS in 2017

2015 2016

LOW HIGH

Overdose calls are higher in Cambridge and Kitchener

3,919Estimated number of people who inject drugs in Waterloo Region


Supervised Injection Services (SIS) | A HARM REDUCTION PROGRAM

What are the benefits?

86 per cent of people who inject drugs would or might use a SIS

Concerns of people who inject drugs about using SIS• Do not want to be seen.• Do not want to people to know they use

drugs.• Are afraid their name will not remain confi-

dential.62 per cent of the public who were surveyed agreed that supervised injection services would be very helpful or helpful. 10 per cent were undecided. 3,567 people com-pleted the online survey.

Top five reasons for using a SIS among people who inject drugs in Waterloo Region• Access to clean injection equipment. One in five

report injecting with used needles in the last six months.

• Ability to inject indoors. 76 per cent have injected drugs in public in the last six months.

• Prevention of overdoses. Four in five report inject-ing alone.

• Treatment of overdose. 39 per cent report having overdosed in their lifetime. One in five were alone when it occurred.

• Safe from crime.

BENEFITS OF SIS ✔ Lower number of

overdoses✔ Less injection drug

equipment litter ✔ Less injection with

used needles✔ Less use of emergency

services✔ Less transmission of

HIV and Hepatitis C✔ Greater number of

people being referred to health and social services including drug treatment programs

✔ Safer for people who inject drugs and the general community

Access to clean injection equipment

1 in 5

86% of people who

inject drugs would or might

use a SIS

Concerns of people who inject drugs about using SIS

• Do not want to be seen• Do not want to people to know they use drugs• Are afraid their name will not remain confidential

TOP FIVE REASONS for using a SIS among people who inject drugs in Waterloo Region

62% of the public who were surveyed agreed

that supervised injection services would be very helpful or helpful

10% were undecided

3,567 people completed the online survey.

Ability to inject indoors

76%

Prevention of overdoses

4 in 5 report injecting alone

Treatment of overdoses

39%

Safe from crime

report injecting with used needles in the last six months

have injected drugs in public in the last six months

report having overdosed in their lifetime 1 in 5 were alone when

it occurred



Location, model, and operations

146 people who inject drugs were surveyed. Average age was 37. 73 per cent were male. 48 per cent of survey respondents inject drugs daily.Most commonly injected drugs in the last six months were:• Crystal meth 45 per cent• Multiple drug combinations 15 per cent• Hydros nine per cent40 per cent of people who took a drug they believe was laced, were trying to take crystal meth.

Number • A minimum of two

fixed sites in Waterloo Region was favoured.

Location • Sites in Central

Kitchener and in South Cambridge were seen as most important.

Model Integrated Health Service pro-viding other health and social supports including: • first aid• education on safer

injection• providing and disposing of

sterile injection supplies• distributing naloxone • referrals to other health

and social services• access to treatment when

ready

Hours • Open 24 hours a day, seven

days a week or• Open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

INTEGRATED HEALTH SERVICE providing other health and social supports including:

• first aid• education on safer injection• providing and disposing of

sterile injection supplies• distributing naloxone • referrals to other health

and social services• access to treatment

when ready

14673%27%

Average age was 37

48% of survey respondents inject drugs daily

NUMBER

HOURS

LOCATION MODELA minimum of

two fixed sites in Waterloo Region

was favoured

Sites in Central Kitchener and in South Cambridge

were seen as most important

Most commonly injected drugs in the last six months were

Hydros 9%

Crystal meth 45%

Multiple drug combinations 15%

orOPEN

24/7OPEN

8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

PEOPLEwho inject drugs were surveyed

40% of people who took a drug they believe

was laced, were trying to take crystal meth

What are the concerns and how might those be addressed?

Community concerns • Safety of their children or dependents,

service users, and community as a whole.• Impact on neighbourhoods

(e.g. property values, crime, and needle litter).

• Supervised injection services could lead to more illicit drug use.

• Lack of treatment options available.

Strategies from the community to address concerns • Improving communication about the

process to consider supervised injection services.

• Educating the community on addiction, mental health, and harm reduction to build understanding and reduce stigma.

• Creating an advisory group to oversee and respond to issues that may arise during implementation of supervised injection services.

For more information or a full report call 519-575-4400 or visit www.regionofwaterloo.ca/ph.

To request an alternate format of this document, call 519-575-4400 or TTY: 519-575-4608.

PUBLIC HEALTH ANDEMERGENCY SERVICES



COMMUNITY CONCERNS

STRATEGIES FROM THE COMMUNITY TO ADDRESS CONCERNS

IMPROVING COMMUNICATION about the process to consider supervised injection services

EDUCATING THE COMMUNITY on addiction, mental health, and harm reduction to build understanding and reduce stigma

CREATING AN ADVISORY GROUP to oversee and respond to issues that may arise during implementation of supervised injection services

Safety of their children or dependents, service users, and community

as a whole

Supervised injection services could lead to more

illicit drug use

Lack of treatment

options available

Impact on neighbourhoods

(e.g. property values, crime, and

needle litter)

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451

(03/

18)

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Supervised Injection Services (SIS)