In the wake of tragedy, Oak Bay students, parents and community members look for ways to address a growing problem that continues to wreak havoc on B.C. families B次元官网网址� the latest announced with the suspected overdose death of a Grade 10 student at Belmont.
There have already been 511 fatal overdoses in B.C. so far this year, according to the latest numbers released by the provincial coroners service. 124 people in the month of April means that four people per day lost their lives to overdoses.
Communities are struggling with the reality that illicit fentanyl, often masked by other street drugs, is not a discerning killer. Regardless of age or whether itB次元官网网址檚 a first time drug user B次元官网网址� the data shows it will kill you.
| Overdose-related deaths in B.C. from 2007-2018 |
After the in April, students and parents have been searching for ways to protect youth from the spreading issue of opioids and accidental overdoses.
The common chorus rising from the students, parents, and professionals addressing the issue is that communication, education, and connection are integral to battling the crisis.
The Oak Bay PAC Health and Wellness Committee began in Dec. 2017 in response to reports from parents and administration concerning Grade 9 and 10 students overdosing on Xanax.
B次元官网网址淭he parents would be called to pick their child up from the hospital and they would hear from the emergency doctors things like B次元官网网址榯his is the tenth kid this weekB次元官网网址�,B次元官网网址� said Gabriela Hirt, co-chair of the Health and Wellness Committee. B次元官网网址淏ut it was really anecdotal. There were no statistics.B次元官网网址�
So the committee was formed and research on best-policies was undertaken. The parents are now calling on the school district and the B.C Government to make changes to drug-related policies and support in schools.
B次元官网网址淲e believe it to be self-evident that abstinence-oriented education and approaches regarding substance use are unlikely to be effective in preventing harm to our students, and that harm reduction education is necessary to ensure the health and safety of our students,B次元官网网址� wrote Kami Bourgeois, OBHS PAC chair, in a May 16 letter to the superintendent of the Victoria School District.
The committee is urging the district to increase counselling resources and to B次元官网网址渟upport the schools in implementing immediate pro-active preventative measures to keep youth healthy and safe.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淧ersonally, I am feeling impatient that we still donB次元官网网址檛 have a harm reduction strategy for all schools in place by our district. Teaching kids how to stay safe and being able help their friends when they are in trouble seems to me of utmost urgency given the opioid crisis we are facing,B次元官网网址� said Hirt. The district is working on one she says, but it has not yet been implemented.
The committee is asking for schools to have naloxone training for students and parents.
While naloxone training is not given at Oak Bay High, principal Randi Falls encourages students to seek out the resources in the community.
B次元官网网址淚f you want to get the training, go to the source. I really encourage the kids to go to the Foundry or to Aids Vancouver Island to see the amazing community supports that are readily available for the kids,B次元官网网址� said Falls. B次元官网网址淭hat they can be another conduit and another level of support.B次元官网网址�
A few Oak Bay High students have sought to bring the resources to the students. They created a group called Connect to Care, a student-led initiative to remove stigma around substance use and to provide harm reduction aids and resources to youth. In May, they hosted a Connect to Care Health Fair at school, bringing together mental health and harm reduction resources from the community.
B次元官网网址淥ne of our goals is to open conversations and remove the stigma around substance use because I know the topic has kind of been hidden away and I think it is important to address it and take action,B次元官网网址� said student and organizer Jasmine Lee.
In attendance were Foundry Victoria, AIDS Vancouver Island, NEED2, and Recreation Oak Bay.
B次元官网网址淲e just want to protect each other and try to get past this. We just want to try to open the conversation so that when it is happening, asking for help isnB次元官网网址檛 something that is scary,B次元官网网址� said fellow student and organizer Maddy Trimmer.
Foundry Victoria is part of a collective of youth clinics around B.C. that offer free, drop-in primary care, mental health, and sexual health care to youth between the ages of 12 and 24. Youth can drop in for same-day counselling, peer support, connection to community resources, physical resources, social work, outreach work B次元官网网址� anything that can help a youth navigate a health care journey. The services are confidential and are open to all youth, including people who are street-involved or involved in substance use.
B次元官网网址淣o barrier supports B次元官网网址� thatB次元官网网址檚 what I want our kids to know about,B次元官网网址� said Falls.
The clinic, at 818 Douglas Street, opened its doors this year.
B次元官网网址淲e know we need to build a seamless system of supports B次元官网网址� where you ask once and you get help fast,B次元官网网址� said Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Judy Darcy at the May ribbon-cutting ceremony of Foundry Victoria. B次元官网网址淸Foundry] overcomes those silos, and brings the care together.B次元官网网址�
Roughly 70 per cent of mental health issues emerge before the age of 25, Darcy said. In B.C., there are an estimated 84,000 people between the ages of four and 17 living with these challenges, yet only one in three will receive support.
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AIDS Vancouver Island was at the Connect to Care health fair providing harm reduction information , sexual health supplies, and safer substance us information. They also had a sign-up sheet for students interested in doing naloxone training off-site. They offer training to anyone in the community that is interested and give a naloxone kit to everyone who completes the training. The training is also available online at .
B次元官网网址淎 mask comes in the kit. It is really important to know that naloxone is the second thing that you need. Oxygen is the most important thing that someone needs to respond to an overdose. ThatB次元官网网址檚 one breath every five seconds,B次元官网网址� said Health Promotion Educator Lana Fine.
NEEDS2 was at the health fair to provide resources on suicide prevention, intervention and general mental wellness through their program Youth Space. It is an online text and chat support service for youth under 30 and serves about 5,000 youth a year. The conversations are confidential, one-on-one text and chat conversations that act as an intervention based service.
Kamma Wiggins, a fitness programmer for Recreation Oak Bay was also present to talk about youth programming.
B次元官网网址淢ost of our adult programs do start at 13 years of age for participating, so we want Oak Bay students to know that there are a lot of drop-in programs available to them,B次元官网网址� said Wiggins.
As Liaison to Schools for Oak Bay Council, Coun. Michelle Kirby is organizing an event to carry on the conversation.
A community conversation on youth mental health and substance use is being held at the Dave Dunnet Community Theatre at Oak Bay High on June 19 from 7-9 p.m.. Youth and parents are invited to come and learn about what resources are available, how to talk about substance use with family members, and ways to help reduce risks. The event is free and open to the public.
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Resources
Kids Help Phone offers 24/7 counselling online at or by phone 1-800-668-6868
Sign up for Naloxone training at Toward the Heart:
Foundry Victoria provides a range of prevention and early-intervention health and social services to support young peopleB次元官网网址檚 well-being. Services are free and confidential for youth 12-24. 818 Douglas Street or
Kuu-us Crisis Line Society for Indigenous youth by phone 1-800-588-8717
Youth Space offers online emotional and crisis chat and text or text 6 p.m. to midnight 778-783-0177
The 24-hour Vancouver Island Crisis Line is an Island Health contracted service offers text 250-800-3806, online chat and phone services 1-888-494-3888
AIDS Vancouver Island
movement of young leaders transforming the way we think about mental health
iMinds -
Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research (CISUR) -
