Moncton organization believes there’s reason for hope despite current drug crisis

The executive director of Moncton's Harvest House speaks about the alarming increase in overdoses in the city.

There has been a dramatic increase in the number of drug overdoses in the Moncton, N.B., area over the past week, making for a stressful situation for those experiencing them, as well as first responders and outreach workers.

Among the organizations helping out is Harvest House – a charity that helps those facing homelessness, mental health issues and substance abuse.

“I’m so thankful for the frontline workers and the work that we’re doing and then EMS teams, firefighters, our 911 dispatch,” executive director Leon Baker told Your Morning Atlantic’s Crystal Garrett.

“I remember one day in particular where my team alone responded to 48 OD responses in one day, so that’s just one organization and one team alone with that response.”

There has been speculation as to what is in the current drug circulation, and samples have been sent to Health Canada for analysis.

Baker says the currently supply presents in users differently and therefore requires a different response.

“It takes us multiple Naloxone doses, it might take three, four, six doses in order to bring somebody back,” he said.

“And then how that presents after as well, the care that they need as they do the recovery is much more – we need to stay with them longer, we need more staff with them just to keep an eye on them, as well, as they come out of their state.”

The short-term solution is to have “all hands on deck” with local organizations increasing their staffing levels.

“We’ve got our staff who are doing block rounds, we’re also seeing an increased presence in our downtown area by some of the local churches, we’re seeing people who are naloxone trained. Like my son hit the streets one day himself and he was involved in 12 different OD responses that day,” said Baker.

Those on the ground say systemic changes need to be improved looking into the future.

Baker believes there are not enough mental health and addiction supports in any province.

“From an organization level for instance, we’ve got a men’s and a women’s addiction recovery facilities, and we are going through an accreditation program right now with Accreditation Canada so we can extend that,” he said.

“Our hope is to be able to step in those spaces and really take people from, I’ll say, despair to hope, and bring them along our continuum of care, which includes mental health and addiction, emergency shelters, housing programs, all of those things.”

Those who want to support first responders and outreach workers can do so either financially, or practically.

Baker is also concerned about warm temperatures in the forecast this week.

“We’re going to need water, we need Gatorade, we need things like that. And then take it even a step further. Are you first-aid trained? Do you have your Naloxone training? Do you have a kit in your car with you? You can go online, you can go to organizations like ENSEMBLE, you can get free training,” he said.

“I think that’s where we need to look at our current state in our city and say, how can I practically be involved in that? If you’re comfortable with hands on, go hands on. If you’re not, allow us to do it, but support us in that cost.”

While the current situation in Moncton may seem dire, Baker believes there is reason for hope.

“I’ve seen so many people, their lives restored, families reunified, people find housing, employment, beat their addictions,” he said.

“It can be done, but it takes one community together in order to get us there.”

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