SLMHC Responds to Oxycontin De-listing

“The Sioux Lookout Meno Ya Win Health Centre has always recognized the serious reality of mental health & addictions problems in the Sioux Lookout Zone. The good news, (regarding the recent media coverage regarding the crisis related to the delisting of Oxycontin), is that similar issues have been proactively managed by frontline health workers at SLMHC and its community partners for many years” said Mrs. Barb Linkewich, Vice President of Health Services, early this morning.

Mr. Bruce Siciliano, Director of Community Counselling & Addictions Services at Sioux Lookout Meno Ya Win Health Centre added, “Generally speaking, there is no quick fix to this problem of substance use and addiction. The solution will continue to lie in the leadership of our communities and cross sector agencies. Specifically, Sioux Lookout Meno Ya Win Health Centre has taken the following steps to contribute to a solution. On December 5th, 2011, the Medical Withdrawal Support Services Unit was opened. This is a five-bed multidisciplinary unit that provides care to patients who are medically detoxifying from serious substance use”.

Mr. Siciliano said, “On February 9, 2012, Sioux Lookout Meno Ya Win Health Centre hosted the first in a series of Sioux Lookout Zone service system management table meetings, to specifically address a common continuum of care for recovery from substance abuse. These are working meetings which focus upon operational integration opportunities to streamline addiction service delivery.

Into the future Sioux Lookout Meno Ya Win Heath Centre will build an outpatient withdrawal management unit to dovetail with Medical Withdrawal Support Services Unit. This will enable SLMHC to provide the mental health & addiction support across all of our existing hospital services”.

SLMHC has currently engaged Shibogama Tribal Council in a continuum of care exercise to provide seamless and comprehensive prenatal care for their community members, including those patients who are concurrently abusing substances. Ultimately this collaboration will develop a model of care that will support young women and families across pre and postnatal stages.

On a regular basis SLMHC has been approached by community agency and government stakeholders to collaborate on a multitude of related initiatives. Community Counselling & Addictions Services has also provided addictions counseling and education to area schools for many years.

SLMHC remains open to collaborating with our many partners to enhance the capacity of our communities to deal with the current reality and challenges of addictions.

For More Information

Mrs. Barb Linkewich, Vice President of Health Services
Sioux Lookout Meno Ya Win Health Centre
Telephone: (807) 737-3030 ext. 6539

Mr. Bruce Siciliano, Director, CCAS
Sioux Lookout Meno Ya Win Health Centre
Telephone: (807) 737-1275 ext. 4854
Cell: (807) 737-0497