Consumption and Treatment Services save taxpayer money

Jul 4, 2023

With the rate of opioid deaths in Barrie at about double the provincial average, research suggests that consumption and treatment services (CTS) in the community would help save lives and money without risking public safety.

Evidence suggests that an overdose which occurs in public is 10 times more likely to result in hospital admission than an overdose at a safe consumption site. This is because when an overdose occurs in public, a significant number of resources (i.e., first responders) are often deployed. Conversely, when an overdose occurs in a CTS, health care providers are available and prepared to respond effectively with comprehensive supports and follow-up care. As such, hospital www.smdhu.org/CTS admission is a costlier intervention than a CTS, where overdoses can be responded to earlier using less intensive measures.

As an example, a cost analysis study of Calgary’s supervised consumption services found that each overdose managed at the CTS produced approximately $1,600 CAD in cost savings, with a savings of over $2.3 million for the lifetime of the program. Similarly, a study of Vancouver’s Insite, one of the oldest supervised drug consumption sites in the country, was linked to the prevention of more than 80 HIV infections per year. That’s the equivalent to $17.6 million of savings on HIV-related medical costs every year. The Canadian Mental Health Association, Simcoe County Branch, has received approval from Health Canada for an application to permit a CTS in Barrie, and have been waiting more than 20 months on approval from the Ministry of Health to proceed. Consumption and treatment services sites help save lives and create safer communities. For more information on CTS, including the local application history and community consultations involved in the process, visit www.smdhu.org/CTS.