The executive director of Avenue B Harm Reduction calls the creation of the Chief’s Community Action Group (CCAG) a “terrific idea.”
The CCAG, formed by Saint John police Chief Robert Bruce, brings together organizations and agencies to tackle homelessness, substance abuse and mental health challenges in the city.
Julie Dingwell said there are not many chiefs of police across Canada who are doing this.
“We need to do better. People who are homeless or involved with substance use or mental health and sometimes all of the above. We’re going to do better by them,” Dingwell said.
She said one way they are not helping children who have been in and out of foster care is by “aging them” out of the system by 19, noting the age was changed to 21 in British Columbia.
Dingwell is familiar with Moms Stop The Harm, calling them an “incredible group” founded in B.C. by a group of mothers who lost their kids to a drug overdose.
“They are now becoming a very powerful group across the country,” Dingwell said.
She said they are women in this area who are members of Moms Stop The Harm.
“We need them because these are the people that are saying ‘we don’t want our children dying because of some stupid drug,'” Dingwell said.
Dingwell said we need to talk about things like safe supply and getting these people quick access to mental health on the street.
“There are some things we could be doing that are fairly easy,” Dingwell said.
The full list of members agencies participating in the Chief’s Community Action Group:
- Addictions and Mental Health, Saint John
- Avenue B Harm Reduction
- Centre for Research, Education and Clinical Care of At-Risk Populations (RECAP)
- Child Protection Services, Department of Social Development
- City of Saint John
- Correctional Services, Justice & Public Safety New Brunswick
- Coverdale Centre for Women Inc.
- Dalhousie Medical New Brunswick, Dalhousie University
- Government of New Brunswick
- Hestia House
- Horizon Health – Mobile Crisis Services & Emergency Mental Health
- Human Development Council
- John Howard Society New Brunswick
- Moms Stop the Harm
- Office of the Attorney General – Crown Prosecutions, Saint John
- Public Health New Brunswick, Department of Health
- Outflow Ministry Saint John
- River Stone Recovery Centre
- Saint John Learning Exchange
- Saint John Police Force
- Saint John Regional Correctional Centre
- Teen Resource Center (TRC)
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