July 8, 2021
Rapid Access to Addictions Medicine Clinics Make It Easier for Manitobans to Access Addiction Medication, Treatment
– – –Nearly 600 Clients Have Accessed Addiction Services at Selkirk Clinic: Gordon
The Rapid Access to Addictions Medicine (RAAM) clinic in Selkirk has made it easier for those struggling with substance-use addiction to access treatment, with nearly 600 people helped in its first two-and-a-half years of operation, Mental Health, Wellness and Recovery Minister Audrey Gordon announced today.
“RAAM clinics have been successful in providing clients with the ability to receive assessment and counselling, be prescribed appropriate medication, and directed to community treatment programs and primary care physicians,” said Gordon. “Thanks to the hard work and dedication of clinic physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, counsellors and other staff members and the investments we have made, more Manitobans are able to access the addictions medication and treatment they need when they need it including those in Selkirk and the broader Interlake–Eastern health region.”
RAAM clinics provide assessment, counselling, the prescribing of appropriate medication and connections for adult patients to community treatment programs and primary care physicians. No appointments or referrals are necessary to access services at the clinic, which is typically staffed by an addictions physician and a combination of nurses and counsellors.
“RAAM clinics have been an entry point to care for thousands of Manitobans over the past three years, making it easier for people impacted by substance-use to navigate our health system. The RAAM clinics give people timely access to the care they need, all in one place, without a referral or appointment,” said Dr. Erin Knight, co-medical lead, RAAM program, Shared Health. “By removing barriers that prevent people from accessing care, our interdisciplinary team can help more Manitobans struggling with addiction, including those in the Interlake–Eastern health region, to the get the care they need, when they need it.”
The Selkirk RAAM clinic opened in November 2018, providing an option for residents of the Interlake–Eastern health region seeking help for substance-use. Through collaboration and partnership with the Addictions Foundation of Manitoba, the Selkirk RAAM clinic recently launched an enhanced opioid treatment clinic to not only increase access to opioid agonist treatment (OAT), but also provide ongoing support to RAAM clinics and to help build local OAT capacity.
There are six RAAM clinic locations in Manitoba, with two locations in Winnipeg and one each in Brandon, Thompson, Selkirk and Portage la Prairie. Provincewide, nearly 1,600 new clients were seen in a 12-month period ending in April 2021, with at least 6,564 followup appointments made in a 12-month period ending in April 2021.
At the newest RAAM clinic in Portage la Prairie, which opened in October 2020, nearly 100 individuals have received help. A community garden has also been established at the clinic’s site with the help of donations from local businesses in the city, as has a clothing and food closet to assist those in need.
The minister noted the province has also recently invested more than $819,000 to expand RAAM clinic services in Winnipeg to address an increased need for services.
“These sites are seeing good success and are building a real community for the clients they are helping,” said Gordon. “We will continue to support RAAM clinics across the province to ensure people can access the services they need on their journey to recovery.”
The Manitoba government has made significant investments in mental health and addictions services since October 2019, including more than $50.8 million in more than 33 projects and initiatives.
For more information on RAAM clinics in Manitoba, visit https://sharedhealthmb.ca/services/mental-health/raam-clinic/.
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BACKGROUND INFORMATION ATTACHED
Backgrounder
Background Information - https://www.gov.mb.ca/asset_library/en/newslinks/2021/07/BG-Rural_Manitoba_RAAM_Clinics-MHWR.pdf