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New downtown walk-in clinic offers immediate help with addictions

First addictions walk-in clinic of its kind in the region

A new walk-in clinic in Downtown Guelph offers immediate help for those struggling with addiction.

The Rapid Access Addiction Clinic is located in the Community Health Centre at 176 Wyndham St N.

A doctor, counsellor and peer support are all accessible for free and without an OHIP card or appointment.

The clinic is open every Monday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. On statutory holidays, it is open Tuesdays.

“Access to equitable services for individuals in our community who are struggling with substance abuse is a very finite resource and this is the first clinic of this kind in our region,” said clinic supervisor Kristin Eidse.

The on-site doctor is Dr. Yelena Chorny, a family physician with training in addiction who has been working in addictions treatment specifically for the past three years.

She said that the services that are available for addictions prior to the clinic are addiction counselling, for which there’s often long wait lists, and – on the medicinal side – methadone clinics.

“They serve a function, but their function is relatively narrow,” Chorny said.

The clinic addresses all forms of substance addiction, from opioids to alcohol.

People are assessed, treatment options reviewed, a doctor can be seen immediately if needed or later in the day if not, referrals are made and education and support for withdrawal offered.

It is not a safe injection site, does not provide diagnosis and treatment for chronic pain, no narcotic prescriptions are given and it is not aimed at long-term medical or addiction counselling services.

In addition to walk-ins, physicians can refer patients to the RAAC.

People who struggle with addiction often have difficulty making appointments, keeping appointments or getting to appointments. This clinic helps address that, Chorny and Eidse said.

“This is exactly why we’ve done it this way,” Eidse said. “It helps them to access service when their motivation for change is high.”

The clinic opened as a pilot project earlier this summer and so far has seen 61 clients.

Each client fills out an evaluation form at the end of their visit and Eidse said the reviews have been excellent thus far.

Mayor Cam Guthrie and MP Lloyd Longfield both spoke at the official launch of the clinic on Friday, with the Mayor praising the work that will help make the community a better place.

“The community says ‘this will help the person’ and I tell them ‘no, this is going to help the whole community,” Guthrie said.

The pilot project was financed in existing budgets but an application for future funding has been made to the Local Health Integration Network.

It is hoped that the program will be expanded, both to other locations throughout the region and being able to be open more days in Guelph.


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Tony Saxon

About the Author: Tony Saxon

Tony Saxon has had a rich and varied 30 year career as a journalist, an award winning correspondent, columnist, reporter, feature writer and photographer.
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