MANITOULIN––A Rapid Access Addictions Medicine (RAAM) clinic is being planned for Manitoulin Island but for now Manitoulin residents can access more timely treatment for opioid and alcohol addictions in Sudbury.
The RAAM model is designed to initiate therapy for opioid or alcohol addiction and then triage clients to the most appropriate ongoing care provider. While not meant to replace or duplicate the care provided by a primary care provider or a treatment clinic, RAAM clinics offer fast access to quality care for people living with addictions.
Early intervention through a RAAM clinic can have a positive impact on the lives of addicts. Robert Pilotte, a former Sudbury RAAM clinic patient, said the RAAM clinic helped improve the quality of his life and helped him make the necessary medication changes. “After 30 years of taking opioids, I finally feel like I have my life back,” he said.
The Sudbury clinic, originally launched in December 2015, is operated by Health Sciences North (HSN) and funded by the Northeast Local Health Integration Network (NE LHIN).
The clinic is part of the NE LHIN’s regional opioid strategy, designed to meet the rising rates of opioid use disorder, accidental overdoses, hospitalizations and ER visits in Northeastern Ontario. The strategy was developed by the LHIN’s Regional Mental Health and Addiction Advisory Council, which continues to work with local opioid task forces within each of the sub-regions to support its implementation.
In a media release, Jeremy Stevenson, CEO of the NE LHIN, stated, “this strategy recognizes the need to bring care closer to home for people in the Sudbury/Manitoulin/Parry Sound sub-region who are impacted by the rising rates of opioid use disorder, accidental overdoses, hospitalizations and ER visits. Developed by our Regional Mental Health and Addiction Advisory Council, it leverages both local knowledge and expertise to increase access, as well technology through the use of the Ontario Telemedicine Network to bring care to people living in smaller communities in the area. It is also a good example of how sub-region planning is empowering providers to collaborate and make local decisions to improve access and coordination of services for their residents.”
The NE LHIN’s strategy uses a “hub and spoke” model, in which RAAM clinics are located within each sub-region’s urban centres (the hub) with links (spokes) to outlying areas (like Manitoulin). The Sudbury RAAM clinic provides outreach supports to people and providers in West Parry Sound, Manitoulin and Espanola and supports the three other RAAM clinics (Algoma, Cochrane and Nipissing) in the region. The Sudbury clinic also acts as lead agency for research, data collection, analysis, and evaluation as well as to explore opportunities to create a regional platform to increase access.
Dr. Michael Franklyn, a Sudbury physician with expertise in addictions treatment, is site lead. “We are working closely with regional partners after seeing such a success with the RAAM clinic in Sudbury. We are encouraged by the clinic’s results and look forward to improving their quality of life for them and their families,” he said.
While discussions regarding the Manitoulin model are ongoing, “the focus has primarily been on getting the Sudbury site up and running five days per week,” explained Melanie Stephens, mental health and addictions manager at Noojmowin Teg. Ms. Stephens is responsible for the Manitoulin RAAM initiative.
“In the meantime, people requiring the services of the RAAM clinic can access the Sudbury site as a self-referral, provider-based referral or walk-in,” said Ms. Stephens. “The Sudbury clinic will endeavour to work with the individual’s primary care provider to transition care back to the community as appropriate and as consented to per the client.”
The Sudbury RAAM clinic, located at 336 Pine Street in Sudbury, is now open Monday through Friday from 9:30 am to 2:30 pm. Patients can walk-in to receive help or call 705-523-7100 ext.1875. No booked appointment or referral is necessary, although referrals from doctors, nurses, social workers, addiction counsellors and community providers are welcome.
