With International Overdose Awareness Day right around the corner, Jack Veitch of the Canadian Mental Health Association Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge, is reminding the public that drug and mental health services are available to those seeking them.
While there aren’t any public events in the County this year to mark the occasion, recognized worldwide Aug. 31, Veitch said CMHA is continuing to promote education around drug use through its mobile mental health clinic, which visits the community every other week.
Intake has been strong since the program launched in December 2021 – with Veitch claiming both the number and complexity of cases CMHA is seeing has significantly increased since the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We’re starting to see the impact that isolation and disconnection had on the mental health and wellness of so many. I think the unfortunate repercussions [of increased drug use] are starting to play out,” Veitch said.
“Numbers are up, but so is the complexity of need. You think of a community like Haliburton County… people are more isolated and remote. Transportation can be an issue, cost of living can be an issue, accessibility to care can be an issue. Compound that with the housing situation and it’s no wonder things are getting worse,” Veitch added.
“What we’re seeing in the last two-to-three years is so different from what we were seeing five years ago.”
Talking to someone – whether a friend, family member, or professional – is the best first step towards healing, Veitch said.
“The first thing I always say is you’re not alone and you don’t have to do this alone. It can be an isolating feeling, almost like you’re the only person that’s ever been here – you feel irredeemable, but in truth it’s the exact opposite. Many others have struggled with similar situations, and there are resources available that can help,” he said.
The local CMHA chapter was one of 45 national providers chosen to pilot a new 9-8-8 suicide crisis helpline last year, while it tripled the number of on-the-ground mental health workers in its communities from four to 12. A new ‘Safe Beds’ program opened in Peterborough, providing short-term temporary housing for anyone going through a mental health crisis – including people from Haliburton County.
Dane Record, chair of the Haliburton, Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland Drug Strategy (HKLN), said the best way to reach people who are struggling, especially those with drug dependency issues, is to connect them with others who have lived experience.
“They’re the ones who have the information right at the beginning. The subject experts in this case are not the medical professionals, it’s the people who have used before, or are still using now. We need their input so we have evidence-based information, as opposed to anecdotes from [professionals] that go nowhere,” Record said.
A new Narcotics Anonymous group launched in the County over the summer, with the first meeting happening July 18. They meet every Thursday at The Link in Haliburton village, from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m.
The lead organizer, who requested anonymity, said the only requirement to attend is a desire to stop using.
“I have seen the devastation of this disease, especially in the last 17 years since I have been in recovery,” he said. “Meetings are free and there’s nothing to lose and much to gain. Having a community of like-minded people who have walked a mile in your shoes is a huge help in the process of getting clean.”
Drug use in the County is rampant, according to Tom Regehr, who spent over a year running weekly meetings designed to bring people together to share their personal stories of struggle. He noted in an interview last year Class A substances like methamphetamine and heroin are a favourite of local users. Opioids such as fentanyl are also popular.
Record said opioids are popular because of their strength and accessibility.
“If generics can be easily manufactured and put out there, that’s just what happens,” Record said.
The Haliburton, Kawartha Lakes, Pine Ridge district health unit (HKPR) is publicly sharing statistics regarding opioid-related overdoses through a new portal on its website. The health unit estimates there have been 224 hospitalizations due to opioid overdose in 2024, with 36 suspected deaths. That number already eclipses the total from 2022, when there were 34 deaths, and is more than half way towards last year’s total of 65 deaths.
The local John Howard Society branch, has been working with County residents since January 2023 through the Mapping a Plan program. Cathleen Meenan, a harm reduction and crisis counsellor, said over 62 people have accessed the program since September, 2023.
“The need in this community is great and we’re here to support those in need,” Meenan said.
