Kim Dolan executive director of PARN on left presents Megan Deyman co-ordinator of the Haliburton Kawartha Lakes Northumberland Drug Strategy with a plaque recognizing the work done over the last three years funded by the Ontario Trillium Foundation. Deyman gave a presentation to the HKPR Health Unit board of health on Oct. 17. /JENN WATT Staff

Drug strategy marks end of Trillium grant funding

By Jenn Watt


Representatives of the Haliburton Kawartha Lakes Northumberland Drug Strategy made a formal presentation at the board of health meeting on Thursday Oct. 17 marking the end of a three-year Grow Grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation worth $285000.


Kim Dolan from PARN Catherine MacDonald from the health unit and drug strategy co-ordinator Megan Deyman presented a ceremonial plaque and briefly discussed the work done by the strategy which brought together organizations in the region working on drug-related issues.


The strategy operates with a four-pillar approach: harm reduction prevention and education treatment and justice and enforcement. The grant applicants were HKPR Health Unit PARN Four Counties Addiction Services Team and the City of Kawartha Lakes Police Service. Fifty-two organizations became members of the strategy during the three-year period.


Deyman said that the strategy led workshops seminars and educational campaigns and supported existing work including harm reduction programs at the health unit and through PARN as well as naloxone distribution. Work is ongoing on an opioid response plan and task force for the three counties.


“I think we’re at a good place coming off the three-year grant. We’ve laid some important and foundational components in each of the three counties” Deyman said citing better connections between service providers and communities opportunities for marginalized people to take leadership roles and reducing harms through programming and enhancing education.