GUELPH – As Guelph’s Consumption and Treatment Services (CTS) site prepares to close March 31, community organizations are offering drop-in training on overdose response and safety skills.
“These trainings are a vital step in ensuring our community remains informed, prepared, and capable of responding to overdoses,” Wellington Guelph Drug Strategy manager Jean Hopkins stated in a news release “We invite all community members to take part and learn more.”
The drug strategy partnered with the Welcoming Streets Initiative, which supports people experiencing homelessness and substance use concerns, to offer de-escalation, anti-stigma and overdose training at the Guelph Public Library’s downtown branch on Feb. 19.
The drug strategy is also offering upcoming “community overdose response” training sessions in partnership with Sanguen Health Centre.
The first session, which is designed to equip participants with lifesaving knowledge and skills, will take place Feb. 25 from 6:30 to 7:30pm at Art Not Shame, 119 Wyndham St. N.
Sessions will continue monthly on the last Tuesday of the month until June, and will provide an overview of current substance use trends and service transitions in the community. Naloxone training will be led by Sanguen staff.
Community members, service providers, and anyone interested in learning more about overdose response are encouraged to attend.
Although a Homlessness and Addictions Recovery Treatment (HART) Hub will launch in April to provide healthcare, housing, and support services for individuals with complex needs, it will not replace current CTS offerings. More information on these changes and harm reduction strategies is available on the drug strategy’s website at wgdrugstrategy.ca/2025/02/cts-closure-to-hart-hub/.
