ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

TO:

Vancouver City Council

FROM:

Drug Policy Coordinator

SUBJECT:

Vancouver Drug Policy Implementation and Vancouver's Coalition for Crime Prevention and Drug Treatment Work Plan

 

RECOMMENDATIONS

CITY MANAGER'S COMMENTS

COUNCIL POLICY

In April 2000, Council approved the creation of the position of Drug Policy Coordinator for a period of three years. Council has supported funding requests for Vancouver's Coalition for Crime Prevention and Drug Treatment activities from 1998 through 2002.

SUMMARY

This report outlines the next phase of drug policy work to be carried out in the City of Vancouver. The focus for the work of the Drug Policy Coordinator and Vancouver's Coalition for Crime Prevention and Drug Treatment will include: development of a Four Pillars Fund with the assistance of the Vancouver Foundation, policy development, project development, community prevention and education, regional/national/international networking and advocacy, and the continuation of the broad public education work regarding substance misuse and its impact on our communities. Staff recommend that Vancouver's Coalition for Crime Prevention and Drug Treatment now be coordinated by the Drug Policy Coordinator, rather than an external consultant, and that staff positions be regularized for a period of three years.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this report is to outline the next phase of Drug Policy work for the City of Vancouver.

BACKGROUND

Vancouver's Coalition for Crime Prevention and Drug Treatment

Vancouver's Coalition for Crime Prevention and Drug Treatment was created in October of 1997 under the strategic leadership of the Mayor and the Urban Safety Commission. Since its inception, the Coalition has grown from 20 partners to 66 partners, representing community organizations, business groups, the education sector and government agencies. Vancouver's Coalition represents a diverse cross section of community partners committed to actions to improve crime prevention and drug treatment in Vancouver.

Since its inception in 1997, Vancouver's Coalition for Crime Prevention and Drug Treatment has provided, within Vancouver, the leadership in forwarding the broad public discussion on drug policy issues of concern to Vancouver residents. The Coalition has provided a range of initiatives for individuals and organizations from across all communities in Vancouver to come together to discuss the complex issue of substance misuse in our community. These include:

· organized an International Symposium on drug policy - June 12-13, 1998;
· held four crime prevention seminars in the fall of 1998;
· held regional Mayors' forums to promote a regional approach to substance misuse and the drug trade;
· supported a Coalition Partner Working Group in producing the Power Choices Youth Drug Prevention Series with the Vancouver Sun each year from 1999 to the present;
· organized a Crime Prevention Forum - October 1999 - that addressed specific actions that could be taken by individuals, business and social service organizations, and levels of government;
· co-sponsored with the City of Vancouver the successful application to the National Crime Prevention Council for the Downtown Eastside Community Revitalisation Project; and
· lead the public process on the Framework for Action: A Four Pillar Approach to Drug Problems in Vancouver, which involved public forums and community meetings to discuss drug policy issues in Vancouver.

The Coalition for Crime Prevention and Drug Treatment includes a wide range of partners, and is included in this document as Appendix A.

Drug Policy Coordinator and Recent Initiatives

The public health emergencies of injection drug use, HIV and Hepatitis C among injection drug users, and the development of a significant open air drug market in the inner city during the 1990's, demonstrated a failure by the appropriate authorities to respond to a changing situation with regard to the sale and use of illicit drugs in our community. Since the mid-nineties government and the community have been working towards a more coordinated and comprehensive approach to this issue in Vancouver. The Vancouver Agreement was signed in March of 2000 and has provided a vehicle for all governments to focus on efforts to reduce the harm of substance misuse to the Downtown Eastside and other parts of Vancouver.

In April 2000, the City created the position of Drug Policy Coordinator in order to strengthen the City's voice in the development of a drug strategy for Vancouver. In the fall of 2000, the City released the Framework for Action: A Four Pillar Approach to Drug Problems in Vancouver. In May, 2001, after an extensive public process, lead by the Coalition for CrimePrevention and Drug Treatment, City Council unanimously passed the revised Framework for Action as the City's drug strategy. Through this process a broad public consensus has been achieved over the past three years that has set the stage for the next phase in Drug Policy work in Vancouver.

Since the creation of Vancouver's Coalition for Crime Prevention and Drug Treatment in 1997, and the Drug Policy Coordinator position in spring of 2000, responsibility for the delivery of addictions services and HIV/AIDS services has been transferred to the local health authorities. This was a significant step and has allowed for increased local control over planning and implementation of these services.

The Vancouver Coastal Health Authority (VCHA), through the Vancouver Agreement, has moved forward with an expansion of treatment and primary care services in the Downtown Eastside, and is moving quickly to decentralize core addiction services within VCHA clinics throughout the city. Core services include: methadone treatment, alcohol and drug counselling, outpatient detox, needle exchange services and prevention and education programming.

The collective work that is occurring today is a result of the response to the desperate situation that was witnessed in the Downtown Eastside throughout the nineties. The Vancouver Agreement partners, the community, and Vancouver's Coalition for Crime Prevention and Drug Treatment, have all contributed to the development of a more comprehensive approach to substance misuse in the inner city.

Achievements to date include:

· broad public acceptance of a comprehensive and integrated Four Pillars Strategy focussing on Prevention, Treatment, Enforcement and Harm Reduction
· the development by the VCHA of four new health sites providing integrated primary care and addiction services in the Downtown Eastside;
· expansion of methadone in British Columbia from 5100 in 1996 to close to 8000 in 2002 with a good portion of that in the Vancouver and surrounding areas;
· expansion and decentralization of needle exchange services;
· increased access to addictions counselling and mental health counselling;
· approval by Health Canada for a pilot research project of supervised injection sites;
· approval by Health Canada for trials in Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto of heroin assisted treatment
· a reduction of HIV infections among injection drug users of 71% from 1996 to 2002. HIV infections dropped from 234 in 1996 to 64 in 2001;
· the redesign of the corner of Main and Hastings and the dispersal of the open drug scene at this location; and
· the creation of an enhanced enforcement strategy across three levels of government through the Vancouver Agreement.

While much work has been done, and there are indications that some of our efforts have had a strong impact on improving the situation in the Downtown Eastside, there is much more to do in order to build on these successes and complete the implementation of a comprehensive system of care for those with addictions in Vancouver. The recent increase in drug overdoses to 10 in the month of January (from 3 in December), and the increased use of methamphetamine by street youth in the Downtown South area, are just two indications that we need to forge ahead with the full implementation of all four pillars of the City's drug strategy. It is also clear that the negative impacts of addiction and the drug trade go beyond the Downtown Eastside and that a city wide approach must be taken in order to be effective.

DISCUSSION

The Next Three Years

The next three years are a critical time for moving forward and building on accomplishments to date. This year marks a transition year for the work of the Drug Policy Coordinator and Vancouver's Coalition for Crime Prevention and Drug Treatment. Much of the work over the past several years has been focussed on articulating a drug strategy for Vancouver and receiving public input on this strategy. The next three years present an opportunity to focus more on the implementation of the many actions within the strategy, the development of a sustainable approach to reducing the negative impact of illicit drugs on individuals and communities within Vancouver, and continued public education and dialogue on the impact of addiction on our community. The involvement of the many Coalition partners in this work is critical to maintain the momentum and broad public acceptance that we have achieved for addressing substance misuse issues in Vancouver.

Since the inception of Vancouver's Coalition for Crime Prevention and Drug Treatment, the Coalition has been coordinated by an external consultant. In 1997, staff recommended that Vancouver's Coalition coordination be at arm's length from the City, and that the focus be on building community partnership and buy-in for addressing substance misuse issues in Vancouver. The cost of the program was $150,000 annually. As implementation of the drug strategy becomes more central to the work, staff now recommend that for the next phase of drug policy work in Vancouver, Vancouver's Coalition be coordinated by the Drug Policy Coordinator and the positions outlined in this report be filled for a three year period.

The transition will see the Drug Policy Coordinator provide the leadership for Vancouver's Coalition for Crime Prevention and Drug Treatment in moving towards a more sustainable and community based approach to implementing a comprehensive drug strategy for Vancouver. Under the leadership of the Drug Policy Coordinator, drug policy work and Vancouver's Coalition for Crime Prevention and Drug Treatment will focus on several key areas. These include:

1. The Development of a Vancouver Coalition Four Pillars Fund
2. Drug Policy Development
3. Project Development and Implementation
4. Public Education/Communications
5. Community Prevention and Education
6. Regional/National/International Networking and Advocacy

1. The Vancouver Coalition Four Pillars Fund:

A primary focus for the Vancouver Drug Strategy in 2003-2006 will be to work on the development of a fund that will support community efforts in the area of substance misuse and the implementation of initiatives across the four pillars of Prevention, Treatment, Enforcement and Harm Reduction. Vancouver's Coalition for Crime Prevention and Drug Treatment provides an existing network with which to begin this development work. Many individuals and organizations have expressed a willingness to assist with fundraising efforts that would help to establish or enhance a comprehensive system of care for those with addictions in Vancouver. Private monies will be an important element in leveraging support from all levels of government at this time. The City of Vancouver will partner with the Vancouver Foundation which has offered to assist in this work with expertise and advice in the area of fund development and administration.

A Coalition Steering Committee will be formed to guide fund development efforts. A fund development consultant will be retained to support the Coalition Steering Committee in creating the Four Pillars Fund which will contribute to community based approaches to reducing the harm of legal and illegal drugs on our community. A Community Advisory Board with representation from the community and from government will be created to advise on fund allocation and the activities of Vancouver's Coalition for Crime Prevention and Drug Treatment.

2. Drug Policy Development

The development of public policy in the area of substance misuse is an ongoing activity and one that is the subject of much discussion across Canada at this time. Vancouver's drug policy efforts have significantly influenced national drug policy initiatives and other municipal drug strategies. The Drug Policy Coordinator has a primary role in working with our Vancouver Agreement partners and the community in the development of policy, planning and implementation of new initiatives regarding the issue of substance misuse in Vancouver. These initiatives include:

· development of a comprehensive approach to substance misuse in Vancouver;
· decentralization and expansion of needle exchange and needle recovery initiatives;

· development of policy with regards to the regulation of methadone pharmacies within the city; and
· development of the policy framework for Supervised Injection Sites.

3. Project Development and Implementation

Much of the focus of the drug policy work to date has been on the issue of substance misuse in the Downtown Eastside and the associated health, crime and disorder problems. Successful municipal drug strategies must be linked to other strategies including: employment strategies, economic development initiatives, public realm projects and housing. Specific project development work that will take place over the next three years will be linked to other strategies where appropriate, as well as to efforts in the private sector. These projects include:

· the development of expanded treatment options for youth;
· a multi-site supervised injection research project;
· implementation of the Heroin Assisted Treatment Scientific Trials (NAOMI Project);
· the development of a Sobering Centre for acutely intoxicated individuals;
· implementation of an enhanced enforcement strategy for the Downtown Eastside involving multiple departments from all levels of government;

· working with the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority and the community to implement the VCHA addictions treatment plan; and

· development and implementation of a comprehensive community and school based prevention program

4. Ongoing Public Education/Communication

As Vancouver moves forward with the development and implementation of a comprehensive system of care for those with addictions through the efforts of government and the community, an ongoing public education program is key to continuing the dialogue that we have begun on the nature of addiction, how it affects our communities and what healthy community responses can be. Public education is important to create dialogue and understanding of such complex topics as:

· addiction and the sexual exploitation of youth;
· relationship between addiction and the sex trade;
· needle exchange and recovery practices;
· the growing use of methamphetamine or "crystal meth";
· best practice in prevention strategies;
· mental health and addiction;
· the club drug scene;
· the global drug trade and its impact on Vancouver;
· methadone maintenance;
· drug treatment;
· withdrawal management (detox);
· supervised injection sites;
· heroin assisted treatment;
· supportive housing for those with addictions;
· concurrent disorders (dual diagnosis);
· enforcement initiatives; and
· criminal justice system interventions.

Resources are required to create appropriate materials, translate materials into several languages, continue to provide an ongoing Prevention series in partnership with the Vancouver Sun and to assist community based efforts to better communicate strategies and the analysis of local issues and potential community responses. The Drug Policy Coordinator will be required to liaise with other departments and agencies involved in these initiatives.

5. Community Prevention and Education

There is a great deal of interest within the many communities that make up Vancouver in seeing that a comprehensive system of care is put in place for those with addictions in the city. Some geographic communities and communities of interest already have groups that are doing considerable work on this issue and have implemented successful initiatives at the community level over the past several years. It is critical that we develop an education and prevention program that meets the needs of our diverse communities and engage different cultural and linguistic communities in the appropriate manner. The Framework for Action: A Four Pillar Approach to Drug Problems in Vancouver has been translated into four languages: Chinese, Vietnamese, Punjabi, and Spanish. During the community consultation on the drug strategy in 2000, outreach to these cultural communities indicated a strong desire among residents to become involved in developing strategies to address substance misuse that were relevant to the diverse communities in Vancouver. The Drug Policy Coordinator and Vancouver's Coalition for Crime Prevention and Drug Treatment will provide leadership and facilitation in some cases and direct support in other cases for these initiatives. A full time community prevention and education worker will be hired to work with communities across Vancouver that wish to increase awareness of addiction issues and engage in developing substance misuse strategies for their communities.

6. Regional/National/International Networking and Advocacy

The issue of substance misuse is of great concern across the country, as well as in neighbouring municipalities which makes a regional approach to this issue key to Vancouver being successful in developing an integrated system of care. Several municipalities have already developed municipal drug strategies that are similar in focus to the Four Pillars Drug Policy in Vancouver. The Lower Mainland Municipal Association continues to movetowards the implementation of the LMMA Drug Strategy that was approved in 2001. North Vancouver, Richmond and West Vancouver have also been active in developing drug strategies for their communities. It is anticipated that the Federal government will soon be announcing a National Drug Strategy that has been significantly influenced by the work that has been undertaken in Vancouver. The City will play a critical role in determining how the National strategy is linked to the work being carried out in Vancouver under the Vancouver Agreement.

At the International level Vancouver is poised to present a new paradigm in North America for dealing with the negative impacts of illicit drugs on individuals and our communities. The shift in thinking towards a drug policy framework that considers the use of mood altering drugs as primarily a public health concern has been taking place throughout the developed world. Vancouver is not alone in moving in this direction and staying abreast of developments at the international level is a key part of monitoring our success.

The City of Vancouver is represented in the following areas:

· Member of the Lower Mainland Municipal Association Drug Strategy Committee;
· Member of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities Municipal Drug Strategy Project Steering committee which as overseen the development of 11 municipal drug strategies across the country;
· Member of the National Health and Enforcement Partnership initiative through the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse;
· Member, National Task Group on Supervised Injection Sites; and
· Member, Canadian Community Epidemiological Network on Drug Use, multi-sectoral initiative to coordinate and facilitate the collection, organization, and dissemination of qualitative and quantitative information on drug use, among the Canadian population at the local, provincial, and national level.

Staffing and Financial Implications

Drug Policy Coordinator

The Drug Policy Coordinator will provide leadership over the next phase of drug policy work in Vancouver and coordination of the Coalition activities for the next three years.

Coalition staffing will be comprised of the following positions:

Fund Development Consultant

This part time contract position will work with the Coalition Steering Committee and the Vancouver Foundation to create the Four Pillars Fund. The fund will enhance programsfocussing on drug treatment and crime prevention and provide seed funding for new initiatives in the area of substance misuse in Vancouver.

Community Prevention and Education Position

This position will work with communities within Vancouver to facilitate and support the development of substance misuse strategies at the neighbourhood level and among communities of interest in the City.

Admin/Support Position

This position will provide administrative support for the ongoing work of the Drug Policy Coordinator and to Vancouver's Coalition for Crime Prevention and Drug Treatment.

Communications

A communications consultant will work with the City's Director of Corporate Communications to: develop strategic plans to support public education around the City's drug strategy; manage contentious issues and media relations on the program; provide day-to-day advice to team members to support the program's objectives; work with communications departments from other levels of government and with the Vancouver Agreement partners to coordinate responses and strategies; and develop materials to further public awareness and acceptance of the implementation of the Four-Pillars Approach. This work will be undertaken on a contract consulting basis, and will work under the direction of both the City's Director of Corporate Communications and the Drug Policy Coordinator.

Drug Policy Coordinator $95,000
Fund Development consultant $40,000
Community Prevention & Education Position (Planner 1) $70,000
Admin/support (Admin Ass't III) $46,000
Communications Services $30,000
Educational materials (includes design, printing, translation, etc. $19,000
Total: $300,000 annually

Source of Funds

Funding exists in the 2003 Community Services Group Operating Budget.

CONCLUSION

The next three years are a critical time in the development and implementation of Vancouver's drug strategy. There is broad public acceptance of the Four Pillars Drug strategy. Continuing the implementation of this comprehensive drug strategy and the sustainability of the strategy will be the primary focus of the work of the Drug Policy Coordinator and Vancouver's Coalition for Crime Prevention and Drug Treatment over the next three years. The Drug Policy Coordinator will provide the leadership for Vancouver's Coalition activities and the development of a community based approach to local issues and concerns regarding substance misuse in Vancouver. Council support for Vancouver's Coalition for Crime Prevention and Drug Treatment is vital to ensure that both private and public partners continue working together to put in place a comprehensive approach to the negative impacts of substance misuse on our community.

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APPENDIX A

Vancouver's Coalition for Crime Prevention and Drug Treatment partners include:

Vancouver School Board
Vancouver Police Department
Vancouver Board of Trade

Vancouver International Airport Authority

University of British Columbia
S.U.C.C.E.S.S.
United Way
Downtown Vancouver BIA
Rotary Club of Vancouver
Health Canada
Insurance Corporation of BC
The Gathering Place
The United Youth Movement
Robson Street BIA
Vancouver Recovery Club
The British Columbia Regiment
Hope in Vision
Downtown Eastside Youth Activities Society (DEYAS)
Mount Pleasant BIA
BARWATCH
Gastown Community Policing Centre
Kerrisdale BIA
Alcohol-Drug Education Service
Vancouver Economic Development Commission
YWCA of Vancouver
Grandview-Woodlands Community Policing Centre
Davie Street Community Police Office
Renfrew Collingwood Drug and Alcohol Committee
Anglican Diocese of New Westminster
Together We Can
Vancouver Community College
Van. Area Network of Drug Users (VANDU)
Central City Mission

Vancouver Park Board
Odd Squad Productions

Vancouver Port Authority

Tourism Vancouver
Simon Fraser University
Vancouver Foundation
VanCity Credit Union
Vancouver Hotel Association
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Insurance Bureau of Canada
Browning-Ferris Industries (BFI)
Kaiser Foundation
Collingwood Community Policing Centre
Vancouver Family Court & Youth Justice Committee
Boys & Girls Club of Greater Vancouver
Taiwanese-Canadian Cultural Society
Downtown Vancouver Association
Granville Street Community Policing Centre
Mount Pleasant CPC
Salvation Army
Volunteer Vancouver
Kensington Community Centre
First United Church
Chinatown Police Community Services Centre
Cedar Cottage Community Policing Centre
Concert Properties Ltd.
Canadian Bankers Association
Vancouver Police & Native Liaison Society
TELUS
Victory Outreach Vancouver
Family Services of Greater Vancouver
Pacific Community Resources
BC Coalition for Safer Communities

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