‘We don’t need to reinvent the wheel,’ councillor says
By Pam Wright
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
“What we are doing is not working.”
That sums up what North Kent Coun. Rhonda Jubenville has to say regarding the way addiction, mental health and homelessness are handled locally.
Supported by fellow councillor Ryan Doyle, Jubenville is to bring a motion forward at the Aug. 25 council meeting asking staff to explore the possibility of establishing a treatment facility in Chatham-Kent, as well as a specialized supportive housing centre.
The motion also asks staff to explore potential partnerships and bring a report back to council with recommendations and cost estimates to address the “addictions and mental health crisis in Chatham-Kent.”
“I’d like to see some kind of facility, even if it is an extension of what already exists that only caters to Chatham-Kent residents,” Jubenville told The Voice. “We don’t need to reinvent the wheel. We could tag on five to 15 extra beds, but we (the municipality) would have to fund those.”
Both Jubenville and Doyle say they are concerned about lengthy waitlists for addiction treatment beds, as well as the fact that C-K residents who need help are forced to compete with people from outside the municipality to get a spot.
Jubenville’s motion stems in part from problems associated with homeless encampments that have reared up this summer. In July, the encampment in downtown Chatham moved to the greenspace at the Chatham water treatment plant on Grand Avenue East, igniting a firestorm of protest from residents in the neighbourhood.
At the very least, both Jubenville and Doyle said they would like to see a committee formed to address the trio of issues that would include representatives from all of the agencies that deal with addictions, mental health and homelessness.
“Let’s just explore the idea,” Jubenville said. “Let’s start the conversation. We need everybody at the table, including police.”
According to Doyle, waiting for treatment is a serious problem that needs to be addressed, as people who complete withdrawal management at Chatham-Kent Health Alliance are left out in the cold.
“Ideally, we’d like to make an easier path for Chatham-Kent residents seeking treatment,” Doyle explained. “People getting out of detox have to wait, sometimes as long as six months for a treatment bed. That’s too long for a lot of these people.
“If what we’re doing isn’t working, we need to change that,” he added. “We want to make an easier pathway for people in Chatham-Kent to get help.”
The Ontario government earmarked funding for 27 Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) hubs. Chatham-Kent was not approved for a hub, however Sarnia, London and Windsor received funding.
