VICTORIA – A new Rapid Access Addiction Clinic (RAAC) is open in Victoria to support people who use opioids such as morphine or heroin and who are ready for treatment and beginning a path to recovery.
“Addiction is not a choice – it is a chronic illness and like many chronic conditions, there are good treatments available which allow those living with addiction to stabilize their condition and get back to their normal lives,” says Dr. Ramm Hering, Physician Lead, Primary Care Substance Use. “As part of a network of community-based services for people living with opioid use disorder, the RAAC will provide timely and streamlined access to opioid agonist – or replacement – therapy.”
RAAC支持阿片类药物的使用者从丁丙诺啡/纳洛酮（亚毒素）或美沙酮开始 - 减少对阿片类药物的渴望并减轻阿片类药物戒断的困难身体症状，包括疼痛，恶心，呕吐，腹泻，汗水，汗水和焦虑/抑郁症。这些药物只需要每天服用一次，并且通常会迅速停止其他阿片类药物使用。除了支持阿片类药物替代疗法外，RAAC还提供有限的短期咨询，目的是促进长期康复，并帮助与后续护理联系，包括初级保健，额外咨询，心理健康和药物使用服务以及社会支持。
The RAAC opened in February 2017 with limited hours and recently expanded its service hours to three hours per day, four days a week. Potential RAAC clients can be referred to the clinic by their doctor, through Island Health’s Substance Use Intake or from hospital. Clients can also self-refer to the clinic, and each day walk-in appointments are available. The goal of the RAAC is to offer accessible, non-judgmental treatment for opioid addiction in as timely a manner as possible.
“As we gain more understanding about the nature of addiction – and opioid addiction in particular, we are learning that the abrupt loss of tolerance that comes with rapid detox can be harmful and contribute to increased risk of overdose,” says Dr. Hering. “Community-based services including treatment with buprenorphine/naloxone (Suboxone) are safer and more effective; they save lives and reduce the societal and personal challenges associated with opioid use disorder.”
The Rapid Access Addiction Clinic is located at 1119 Pembroke Street and is open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm. The clinic is part of a network of community opioid treatment services in Victoria where people can seek supports for problematic opioid use. Other clinics are:
- Pandora Clinic, 922 Pandora Avenue. Open: Mon-Thu 9 am-5 pm
- Cool Aid Health Centre (for people already registered with the clinic), 713 Johnson Street. Open: Mon & Tue 9 am-6 pm; Wed & Thu 9 am-8 pm; Fri 9 am-3 pm; Sat 10 am-2 pm
- 维多利亚青年诊所（Yates Street 53333岁）。开放：周一至周一上午11点至下午6点，星期五上午11点至下午4点
- Outreach Services Clinic, 603 Gorge Road East. Open: Tue 1 pm-7 pm; Wed 9 am-5pm; Thu 10 am-3 pm
RAAC的服务由BC医疗服务计划（MSP）涵盖的人员公开资助。丁丙诺啡/纳洛酮（亚毒素）或美沙酮的成本也是在Pharmacare（Plan G）下公开资助的。
Island Health’s new RAAC supports the work of the Joint Task Force on Overdose Response established in 2016. As part of the wide range of actions taken across the province, partners across the health system continue to expand access to life-saving naloxone, offer opioid addiction medications and treatments such as buprenorphine/naloxone (Suboxone) and methadone, provide overdose prevention sites, work with Health Canada on approvals to open supervised consumption sites and improve the overall system of substance use services.
“Addiction is treatable and recovery is possible.”
Media Inquiries:
Meribeth Burton
Island Health Media Relations
Email:meribeth.burton@islandhealth.ca
Ph: 250.519.1815 Cel:250.896.0985