FORT WILLIAM FIRST NATION, Ont. - In an effort to address the growing number of people facing mental health and addictions issues, the Rapid Access to Addictions Medicine Clinic is expanding to Fort William First Nation.
“It’s an important step for us and our community and an important step for the partnerships we will have with the many organizations involved,” said Fort William First Nation Chief Peter Collins. “If we can deal with addictions faster hopefully it can help rehabilitate and get people heading in the right direction.”
The RAAM clinic will operate out of the Dilico Anishinabek Family Care building on Fort William First Nation.
This is the third RAAM clinic site, with the first opening at the Balmoral Centre and a second location in the Nor’West Community Health Centre. Since the first site opened in April 2018, the RAAM clinic has seen 15,000 visits.
“We are really thrilled and excited to offer a third site to offer people choice and to offer greater access to the services that we know are so desperately needed in terms of addictions, especially during a pandemic, it becomes more pronounced and more needed,” said Tracy Buckler, president and CEO of St. Joseph’s Care Group, which is the lead agency for the RAAM clinic.
“To be able to have a site on Fort William First Nation will allow greater access and allow people choice to be able to access any of the sites.”
Buckler added there is a tremendous need for service and this third site will allow for 850 visits per month.
“I’m not sure if it meets the demand because sadly it does seem to be growing but certainly we will try our best,” she said.
The RAAM clinic also offers traditional Indigenous healing options. Tina Bobinski, acting director of mental health and addictions at Dilico Anishinabek Family Care said that is key to an individual’s journey towards healing.
“It’s absolutely necessary given the population and launching the site in Fort William First Nation,” she said. “One thing people can expect is as a service provider we take into consideration the traditions, values, and customs of Indigenous people.”
Anyone can access the site and it is open five days a week. Those who visit the site will speak with a counselor, a nurse practitioner, and a physician who will determine the best treatment plan moving forward.
As the number of individuals facing substance abuse issues continues to grow across the country and region, addictions services are looking at ways to meet the demand.
“It’s incredibly vast,” Bobinski said. “Our community, as service providers, collectively know the impact addictions is having on our members and communities. This is a service that is meeting an incredibly gap.”
“We are hoping we can save lives, save families, and improve the health and well being of our community.”
