As the wait continues on a review of consumption and treatment services by the provincial government in Ontario, the doors at SafePoint in downtown Windsor remain closed.
Back in October, the province announced it was pausing the approval of new sites due to an ongoing review following an incident in Toronto.
SafePoint closed at the end of December, after funding provided by the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit ran out.
Perspectives and opinions have been shared numerous times over the last few months, but a local retired nurse is weighing in on what harm reduction means to the broader healthcare system.
Kathy Moreland says research evidence shows that sites like SafePoint not only help save the lives of those struggling, but also prevent EMS calls or visits to an emergency room.
She says the doors being open at SafePoint is a matter of saving lives, because dead people can't seek treatment.
"People think that safe consumption sites are sites that are enabling people who use substances, and in fact, that's not true," Moreland continued. "It's the fact that we recognize that people are using substances, and that the substances that are out there right now, are toxic and potentially lethal with every use."
Even though people who use substances know that, that's addiction, and Moreland says the services offered at SafePoint are all about keeping people alive and trying to offer them help.
She's also quick to point out that from a nursing perspective, no one is condoning drug use, but the reality is what it is on the streets not just of Windsor but around the country.
"No one in supporting a site like that is condoning substance use, but what we're doing is accepting that its happening, and that the drugs that are our there right now are different than the drugs available even 10 years ago. It's a totally different beast that people are becoming addicted to and that is on the street right now," she said.
Moreland believes the unfortunate reality is the longer SafePoint's doors remain closed, the more unnecessary death we'll see related to the drug crisis.
She says if people can't support these sites based only on the fact they save lives, then they should also think about the money saved in the healthcare system.
"And this is what I try to convince when I speak to MPPs, and to the Minister of Health, and the associate Minister of Health. If they can't do it because it's going to save lives, and prevent the tragedy of marginalized people often with mental health issues or circumstances that we don't understand getting involved with these substances, then do it because it saves money."
It's a personal story for Moreland beyond just the healthcare aspect, as she lost her son to an overdose years ago.
She's hoping the provincial government will take action soon, because having places like SafePoint available means the potential for saving more lives.