[homeles_ot-l] FW: Press Release: ACO Denounces Council Decision

[Lynne Browne]

FYI

Lynne Browne 
Coordinator, Alliance to End Homelessness 
147 Besserer Street, Ottawa ON  K1N 6A7 
613-241-7913 x 205, lbrowne at ysb.on.ca 
www.endhomelessnessottawa.ca 

 

   _____  

From: Michelle Ball [mailto:connect at aco-cso.ca] 
Sent: July 12, 2007 9:36 AM
Subject: FW: Press Release: ACO Denounces Council Decision

 

Please Post and Distribute

 

(Ottawa)  July 12, 2007.  The AIDS Committee of Ottawa (ACO) deplores
yesterday’s irresponsible and dangerous decision by City Council to
eliminate the health based safer inhalation program. In spite of the Medical
Officer of Health’s testimony declaring the demonstrated achievements of the
program, Council threw away a scientifically proven program that acted as
one of the only tools to support the health of people using crack in our
community.  

 

ACO has been one of the community agencies responsible for administering the
safer inhalation program since its inception.  The program has demonstrated,
without a doubt, to serve our community well.  There has been an influx of
people accessing ACO’s services since offering the safer inhalation program.
This increase in access has meant an opportunity to connect, support and
refer people who use drugs to services such as housing, social supports and
drug treatment.  With the loss of this program people using crack no longer
have a reason to access support.  This opportunity to connect, support and
refer people has been cut off by Council. 


ACO continues to support community harm reduction programs and will continue
to fight for the safer inhalation program with our partners in the city.  We
demand that Council reinstate the safer inhalation program.  We urge Council
to review a report commissioned by the city itself demonstrating the
program’s effectiveness. We invite community organizations to advocate for
people using drugs and to create spaces for mobilization by this community,
as they carry the largest burden of this decision. 

 

Contacts

Michelle Ball 613-238-5014 x 235 (English)

Adam Graham 613-238-5014 x224 (French or English)

 

Links

Presentation containing data from City-commissioned report: 

HYPERLINK
"http://www.aids2006.org/Web/THLB0104.ppt"www.aids2006.org/Web/THLB0104.ppt 

 

What is harm reduction?

HYPERLINK
"http://www.ukhra.org/harm_reduction_definition.html"http://www.ukhra.org/ha
rm_reduction_definition.html 

 

 

-30-

 

 

Michelle  Ball

Education & Health Promotion Coordinator

AIDS Committee of Ottawa

251 Bank St Suite 700

Tel: (613) 238-5014

Fax: (613) 238-3425

Email: connect at aco-cso.ca

Web site: www.aco-cso.ca

 


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