We have a new paper in @cjphrcsp.bsky.social describing our efforts to improve substance use care in hospital in Halifax, Nova Scotia, from 2018-2024, from the clinical frontlines and community without institutional policy support: link.springer.com/article/10.1... 1/

‘Mass Death on This Scale Is Incomprehensible’ “Are we going to let [this crisis] continue indefinitely? Because it won’t change by itself” An important read from @kwardvancouver.bsky.social and @michellegamage.bsky.social #bcpoli thetyee.ca/News/2026/03...

The harmful effects of the brutal cuts to social programs being enacted by the conservative government in Nova Scotia will include a predictable reduction in public safety. Austerity (aka defunding communities) is a sure way to promote criminogenic social conditions that generate more crime.

This tragedy is the result of massive systemic failures within our healthcare and policing systems. A comprehensive public inquiry is needed along with meaningful actions that reduce the serious risks faced by people in crisis. www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

YAY! Now, that task will be to advocate for an appropriate level of funding to ensure the program can grow, be responsive to people’s needs, reduce reliance on ERs, and divert a significant volume of calls away from police. www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

Job Postings for Community Crisis Responders (full-time and casual) with the POSSE - CIAO Program ... the first non-police mobile crisis service in Nova Scotia 🙌 mnfc.applytojobs.ca/posse/41508 mnfc.applytojobs.ca/posse/41509

The growing number of communities that are creating civilian (non-police) crisis response programs is a direct product of the defund the police movement. Although police budgets are increasing everywhere, this monumental shift in service delivery is still a major win for the community. ✨️

Job postings for community crisis responder positions in Nova Scotia's first civilian crisis response service are up. Awesome job to the amazing crew at POSSE 👏 mnfc.applytojobs.ca/posse/37466

An unequivocal, powerful message to N.S. Premier Tim Houston from the Assembly of Nova Scotia Mi’kmaw Chiefs, who inform him they remain opposed to fracking and “will not see it happen on our unceded and traditional territory.” Houston, you have a big problem with your plans to frack this province.

Civilian mobile crisis services divert calls away from police. When implemented, police will no longer respond to a proportion of calls to which they were previously dispatched. As such, there should be a commensurate transfer of funding from the police to civilian teams. It's really that simple.

If you haven’t yet, please take a moment to sign the ECPJS petition for an immediate moratorium on Police response to Mental health calls. 5/11

-- calling for an end to police-led wellness checks after the tragic loss of two community members during HRP “wellness check” interventions where tasers were deployed. Here are the results of the vote for the Community Crisis Diversion Pilot. 3/11

Here’s a recap on the Mar. 19 HRM council meeting regarding the Budget Adjustment List (BAL) 🧵 (Council will continue discussions on the BAL Friday, Mar 21) 1/11

Just out in #HarmReductionJournal: another article from our realist review of international evidence on overdose prevention centres (AKA drug consumption rooms, supervised injecting facilities), showing how and for whom they work #harmreduction #OPCPrep 1/7 links.springernature.com/f/a/hWOfNJIE...

Whether you need to talk or are looking for resources to address substance use, we’re here to listen and connect you with resources. No judgement. Just support. Call or text 2-1-1 Visit ns.211.ca/mental-health

Today, Halifax Regional Council voted to fund a 24/7 Community Crisis Diversion Pilot Service that will divert crisis calls away from police, priorizing the needs & safety of people in crisis. This is a big step for our community that has taken several years of advocacy at multiple levels. Yay!

CALL TO ACTION: FUND COMMUNITIES, NOT TANKS! On February 12th, both the proposed Armored (Tank) and the $101,255,70 (up $3,244,300 (3.3%)) HRP budget request go to HRM Council. Please use the linked EMAIL TEMPLATE and tell your Councilor to vote ‘NO’ to tank purchases or police budget increases.

In Canada, equality rights are guaranteed under the Charter. Sending police to mental health emergencies while sending healthcare providers to physical health emergencies violates these rights. Such a system disproportionately, arbitrarily, & predictably harms people with mental health needs.

As I said earlier this week, when we send police to people who are vulnerable & in mental heath crisis, we're making that person more vulnerable to experiencing a range of harms including death. Tragically, 2 people died in Halifax this week during police interactions. www.cbc.ca/listen/live-...

would there even be an economy without the exploitation of drug users' suffering

The New Brunswick Women's Council calls for the NB government to halt the development of the so-called Compassionate Intervention Act (medicalized incarceration and forced abstinence of drug users). www.nbwomenscouncil.ca/content/dam/...

“It’d be great if the conversation was centred on the question of what’s most effective and appropriate for people in crisis, rather than what’s most efficient for the police,” Livingston told the Examiner in an interview. I sure did and I'd say it again lol www.halifaxexaminer.ca/health/chang...

"Halifax council is considering fast-tracking plans to have civilians — rather than police   — respond to citizens who are in crisis, a move supported by both residents and local police forces" I feel like the little engine that could ... I think I can, I think I can! www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

I had a good conversation yesterday with Todd Battis of CTV News about #BillC63, the #OnlineHarms bill. atlantic.ctvnews.ca/video/c28750...

In 2023, 73 people in Nova Scotia died from the unregulated poisoned drug supply. That's higher than any other year in NS over the past decade. Telling that it largely went unnoticed.

"People shouldn't die because they're having a crisis ... They should have crisis workers [not police officers]. It's not a complicated concept." www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

A federal lawsuit alleges the police-based systemic response to people in a mental health crisis places them at a greater risk for harm & violates federal laws that require people with disabilities to receive equal access to programs and services without discrimination. www.opb.org/article/2024...

Factors that help crisis response programs flourish: - Tailored to their communities’ needs - Created with input from residents - Have buy-in from community members & the police - Start slow with small pilot programs - Rigorously collect data to build confidence theappeal.org/non-police-c...

US survey asks 1,706 people: How well do you think the police typically handle responding to mental health, alcohol/drug, or suicide crises? 9% very well 37% somewhat well 33% not too well 21% not well at all Fear of police related to lower confidence. www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

February 15, 2024 is World Cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct cancer) Awareness Day. 💚 This is a rare & devastating form of cancer. Targeted therapy holds a lot of promise. But treatment options are limited and access to clinical trials is poor in Canada. www.cholangio.ca cholangiocarcinoma.org

Last call for folks in Nova Scotia who have experience living with a mental health or substance use issue. Survey examining views towards mobile crisis services is open until Feb 29th. Click the link or scan the QR code. smuniversity.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...

Housing is the solution to homelessness. Repeat.

This morning in Halifax, a performative public participation session is being held as another big police budget increase is tabled at a budget committee meeting. I'll, again, be speaking in opposition since it's neither fiscally prudent nor evidence-based. #HaliSky www.thestar.com/news/gta/pol...

"The jury’s 63 recommendations ... include ... Supporting the continued development of community-based crisis response services as an alternative to police" www.thestar.com/news/gta/pol...

I'm excited to see that Nova Scotia's Office of Addiction & Mental Health has released a Request for Proposals aimed at funding community orgs to build non-police mobile crisis response services in communities outside of HRM -- with programs to be launched later this year.

Healthcare Executive: "We don't have mobile crisis services in Nova Scotia outside of Halifax" Me: "Yes, you do. It's the police" Such shocking unawareness of the risk our healthcare system exposes people to by sending the police to thousands of mental health & substance use crisis calls each year

I'm grateful to everyone who has shared their views about mobile crisis services in Nova Scotia. The survey is open until the end of Feb. No need to have used crisis services to participate. You just need to: live in NS, be 15+ yrs of age, & experience w/ mental health or substance use issues.

Every coroner's inquest following the fatal shooting of a person in crisis by police: "Spend more money on policing to fix policing" Then, we spend more and more money on policing year after year without getting closer to fixing the problem. It's exhausting and painful.

More than 200 communities have established civilian-delivered, non-police mobile crisis services that are working to decouple crisis support from policing. theappeal.org/non-police-c...

"This is not the first time a group has written an open letter regarding approved increases to the police budget" LOL ... rinse and repeat, year after year. www.halifaxexaminer.ca/policing/res...

Gender Affirming Care Nova Scotia announces the second episode of its Youth Advisory Council series, where participants investigate qualitative data collection and analysis. This episode presents relevant concepts within the context of the research of our presenter, Itai Kuwodza (she/her).

The open letter calling for city council to reject a major increase to the Halifax Regional Police annual budget has 800 signatures, including 718 community members and 82 businesses and organizations. springmag.ca/community-no...

"To save more lives, more doctors in the Atlantic region should be trained on how to treat some patients with pharmaceutical- grade opioids — known as safer supply opioids" www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

"Alberta and B.C. lead all other provinces in drug poisoning death rates. Despite the lip service paid to harm reduction in B.C., its budget remains fundamentally abstinence oriented" thetyee.ca/Opinion/2024...

I am conducting a survey to learn about crisis response services from the perspectives of people in Nova Scotia who have personal experience living with a mental health or substance use issue. Please follow this link for more information about the study: smuniversity.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...