People suffering from substance abuse disorders now have a place where they can access medical support quickly.
Operated by the Community Counselling Centre of Nipissing, the Nipissing-Temiskaming Rapid Access Addiction Medicine (RAAM) Clinic held its grand opening at its new facility on McIntyre St. Friday.
The clinic provides barrier-free treatment for patients with a substance use disorder, primarily alcohol or opioid use.
“Our goal is to provide a safe space where you can get treatment from a physician, or an addictions councillor and have access to case management if you need it,” Alan McQuarrie Executive Director of the Community Counselling Centre told those gathered for the opening.
“The RAAM clinic is designed to give you access to care quickly. There’s no need for an appointment. We won’t turn you away if you don’t have a family doctor. We won’t turn you away if you’re still using substances. You’re still welcome to attend the clinic.”
Dr. Paul Preston, Vice-President Clinical for the North East Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) said the clinic is a sign that times are changing.
“For years I had been breaking the rules in the North Bay jail, for starting people on suboxone and methadone so they wouldn’t die when they left the prison because they’d lost their tolerance for the drugs they were so addicted to when they left,” said Preston.
“Now we have a government funded clinic that offers rapid access to comprehensive assessment and access to these kinds of treatments just by walking through the door.”
Preston said the system they inherited was based on a lot of misunderstandings about addictions.
“And those were dark days based on stigma and judgment of people that have addictions and not recognizing that it is a complex, chronic disease with biological, psychological and social factors driving it and that all of these need to be addressed to varying degrees with each person. So that is where the RAAM clinic starts, and it is an integral first step for people.”
RAAM physician lead for North Bay, Dr. Valerie Primeau, a general psychiatrist in the city, has spent the past year recruiting and training doctors.
The clinic has been seeing patients for the past few weeks, and already it is showing some positive results.
She gave two examples, one of which included a person who suffered from alcohol use disorder for the past decade.
“What struck me about this patient is that when I met with him, he told me he had never actually been started on any medication to treat the alcohol use disorder, he had actually never had the chance to go through withdrawal management, and had never attended residential treatment services,” said Primeau.
In that first consultation, she was able to start him on the path to recovery.
“Within one hour, one appointment, we did four things that had not been done in 10 years. I think that highlights how important the RAAM clinic is, and how pivotal it is going to be in going forward in our community.”
“It is important when you look at the person, to look at the person as a whole, and treat all aspects of the person.”
The North Bay Recovery Home is working in partnership with the Community Counselling Centre of Nipissing.
“Clients who suffer from the disease of addiction will be able to have quick access to physician care and support services. The North Bay Recovery Home will be providing addiction case management services to clients that are accessing the RAAM clinic,” said Wendy Prieur, Executive Director of the North Bay Recovery Home.
“The case management supports will consist of advocacy for clients, referrals to treatment, ongoing support and follow-up and help to build connections to additional community supports. There will be no wait times, and referrals to services will be seamless.”
“Today marks another step towards the fight against addictions in our community,” said Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli about the provincially funded clinic.
“This funding will help provide specialized evidence-based, addiction medicine support to individuals with substance abuse issues. RAAM clinics provide patients with immediate access to low-barrier short term addictions treatment until the patient is stabilized and can be linked with appropriate care in the community for their on-going support.”
Sudbury was the pilot site that proved that RAAM is effective in helping patients and families.
“Some people come in and they’re not quite sure they want to quit a substance, but they know it is a problem, and it is causing them harm. Or we’ll see other people who have struggled with addiction for decades, and they just haven’t been able to break it. Having that time with the doctor, is one step closer to getting them closer to sobriety,” said the Counselling Centre executive director.
“The clinic will serve the entire North Bay area, and are working with partners in Sturgeon Falls and Mattawa to be able to develop a clinic there,” said McQuarrie.
“As well, we’re in the early, early stages of setting something up in Powassan, and Temiskaming already has some RAAM activities happening there.”
The clinic has physician coverage Mondays between 4:30 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Wednesdays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
The clinic offers intake five days a week. People can walk in or call 705-472-6515. No booked appointment or referral is necessary, although referrals are welcome.
