'Safe sobering space' needed in Lethbridge, say front-line workers

Lethbridge, Alta., opened its first safe consumption site last week, but front-line workers say there is another facility they want in the city to help another underserved population.

Collette Ryostock, manager ofthe Lethbridge Shelter and Resource Centre, said despite being funded as an emergency shelter, they've done doubleduty as a facility for intoxicated peoplefor so long, they're used to it now.

But the centre isn'tset up for that purpose, she said.

• Spate of drug overdoses continues in Lethbridge

"Our staff generally aren't trained medical-wise to look after some of these folks," she said, adding that the shelter only has seven mats available for intoxicated people, and often must use other areas of the shelter when the number of intoxicated clients exceeds that.

Stacey Bourque, director of Lethbridge's drug outreach organization ARCHES, says they know there's a gap in the community when dealing with intoxicated people.

"Something that we're working on in the interim is a safe sobering space for people to be able to come. It's a nurse-managed program so they'll be medically monitored," she said.

Insp. Tom Ascroftof the Lethbridge Police Servicesaidthey have a drunk tank at their correctional centrebut in the last few years they'vemoved away from that model.

"It's not a criminal act per se," he said."If it's just the case of someone who has an addictions issue and they're passed out outside, sometimes the best place for them to be is not with the police."

Ryostocksaid she believes the safe sober space will ease some of the shelter's stresses.

"I think I can see it alleviating a lot ot the issues we have here because we have been going fromcrisis to crisis dealing with overdosesand other drug and alcohol-related issues that it takes awayfrom what our mandate is," she said.

The city has submitted an application to Alberta Health open a safe sobering space, whichis waiting for approval.