Integrate evidence-based harm reduction into HART Hubs
To the Legislative Assembly of Ontario:
WHEREAS Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) Hubs are currently prohibited from providing evidence-based harm reduction services as part of their programming, including needle and syringe programs (NSP);
WHEREAS needle and syringe programs are evidence-based public health interventions proven to reduce the transmission of blood-borne infections including Hepatitis C and HIV;
WHEREAS the efficacy of needle and syringe programs has been studied for nearly 30 years and is endorsed by the World Health Organization;
WHEREAS rates of injection-related infections have been increasing over the past several years across Ontario, associated with high rates of hospitalization, morbidity, and mortality;
WHEREAS Ontario continues to bear the devastating burden of an escalating overdose crisis, with too many lives lost to a toxic drug supply
and ineffective drug policies;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT WE THE UNDERSIGNED, call upon the Ontario government to:
Immediately allow HART Hubs to provide evidence-based harm reduction services, including needle and syringe programs, as part of a comprehensive approach to substance use programming