Monthly Minutes (draft) - Sept 26, 2016

Minutes draft - SPC Monthly Meeting 
Sept 26, 2016 - 11:30 am – 1:00 pm

Location: Autism Centre at the Child Development Centre located at 690 Second Ave North in Williams Lake. Lunch provided (donations appreciated).

In attendance (from sign-in sheet): Matt Neufeld, Kathie Vilkas, Colleen Skinner, Carla Bullinger, Jay Goddard, Nancy Gale, George Atamanenko, Sarah Jackman, Margaret Anne Enders, Rosanna McGregor, Jordan Davis, and Jessica Dunn.

Reviewed meeting minutes from Jun 27, 2016  
Motion to accept the minutes as presented - MFSC 

Reviewed meeting agenda for Sept 26, 2016 
Motion to accept the agenda as presented - MFSC 

Presentation - TRU Practicum Student Placements
Jay Goddard from Thompson Rivers University provided more information on:

WANTED:Winter Practicum Placements for 2nd Year Human Service Diploma students (Oct 6 - Dec 16).

Context: Program renewal through Human Service program. Shifting practicum model to encourage fall placements. Also new - Field Education Coordinator is a separate position.

Moving to putting agencies used in the past, into a database for record keeping purposes and more effective placements. Even if you have not hosted a student placement, you can still be added to database for future potential placements

Winter: Placement opportunity timeline is Feb to the end of April. Implement program from start to finish. Some past project placements include: CCPL, CMHA - volunteer fair, B&G Club.

Please see poster for placement details (both fall and winter).

Discussions about the above:
These opportunities provide such valuable hands on experience and allows our current organizations to "prep/groom" new students to the realities of our fields.

These experiences help students understand non-for-profits and their local needs. Well paying ministry job is often the only picture students focus on and local opportunities like these open their eyes to the realities in practice.

"Q-Munity" training, as one example of training students could be exposed to, really helps identify issues that are often not though about (e.g. back in the closet once a partner dies). These real examples also help students entering the field, to understand their field.

Hearing voices of support from this table is very valuable. Sharing these stories of success (e.g. 5 TRU graduates who completed their practicum at the B&G club are now working for the organization). Celebrating these successes is needed (e.g. rather than only hearing complaints about our local campus programming).

Special Presentation - Overdose Awareness, Fentanyl, and Q&A
Jordan Davis, Harm Reduction Coordinator from Boys & Girls Club in Williams Lake presented a brief overview on Overdose Awareness and providing more information on the current Fentanyl trend followed by Q&A.

General discussion today and what WL is doing about this (B&G Club and Interior Health contract). Jordan teaches sexual health in the schools.

In April 2016 the recorded overdose figures was 400 for the year 2015. By April of 2016 (only four months into the year) and already 488 overdoses have been recorded in BC in 2016 so far (Fentanyl was the most common drug).

Historically, it is used in acute pain management (labour & delivery and other pain management). Delivered in very slow release patches (that are 50 - 100 times more powerful than morphine). There is a high risk of overdosing with this drug. There is a working group that is in part providing education in the high schools - see cards.

Fentanyl, is being mass produced in China right now, and is very cheap to produce. No regulations at this time. Heroin is being literally replaced due to these features.

It is being "cut" into drugs (even marijuana) and many people are not aware they are exposed to it. Lacing into other drugs is very common and very dangerous (chocolate cookie analogy - you might get no chocolate chips, or you could get them all - risky).

Tolerance in people is highly variable. People at high risk are those who have not taken it for awhile.

Who is the most at risk group? This is hard to quantify (e.g. it could be someone whose prescription pain killers have run out and is buying off the street).

Because of this declared health emergency - Interior Health has been receiving real-time stats.

A presentation on Sept 19th in Anahim Lake - students were very receptive to the information Jordan presented.

There is a drug to reverse the effects of fentanyl called Naloxone, and there are some people delegated to administer this. Jordan (as a youth worker for the B&G Clubc) is one of the local delegates.

If someone needs Naloxone- Adults should go to public health. For a youth, contact the B&G Club.

Q: What are the local WL stats?
A: One overdose death this month, and 5 overdoses in a short period of time (three weeks) needed Naloxone in August locally.

This is a very real problem: It's has been found in every drug from Marijuana, to "street" Percocet (&/or Oxycotin). Students (and parents) need to know this information.

Community Forum is being planned (sponsored by the Tribune) in October. The demand for this info is so high right now and everyone's capacity is being exhausted.

Q: Are larger funding conversations happening?
A: So many overdoses are being reversed at this time (5/day in Surrey) which is opening up the discussions for further funding (e.g. detox & treatment facilities are lacking in resources). Increased conversations need to happen. The current "band-aid" is Naloxone.

We need to continue to embed these conversations at tables we sit at. We need to continue to verbalize and share these explicit linkages. Pass the word on!

Q: Are the kids you teach "getting it"?
A: Peer dissemination of info is the best way to reach the kids. They understand maybe 5/10 of the facts and share it with their peers. Snowball effect.

Comment - Keep talking to them, over and over again - there is no harm!

Q: Are there preventative measures to stop the drugs from arriving here? A: Most of the drugs up here come from Vancouver, and there are efforts working to stop this flow.

Posters were made available.

Fall SPC AGM & Community Collaboration Workshop
Notice was given of the SPC's Annual General Meeting and Workshop presented by the Canadian Cancer Society entitled "Williams Lake Community Collaboration Workshop" on Friday Nov 4th.

The monthly October SPC meeting will take place if Milo is available. If he's not, we will postpone and meet next at our AGM.

Question: Would a central location for our SPC meetings be beneficial for attendance? People around the table agreed that one location would have benefits.

Action: Matt will inquire about the Co-op room as a permanent location for monthly SPC Meetings.

Roundtable Updates (only those not shared via community updates are included below). 

Nancy Gale (update in advance): Gaming funds in WL. Investment pool required and new board member (also auditor) is open to having these discussions. Committee driven - new committees welcome. Pooled investment is an option. Salmon Arm has a creative community foundation that we could learn from. The SPC as subcommittee panel is a viable option. Social investments will be up for discussion in the future. This is a start - we need to position ourselves to move this forward.

Nancy cont': Raffle project ("Chase the Ace") - Nancy will be looking into getting this popular alternative to 50-50 fundraising draws (back East "Chase the Ace" is common) into rural communities in BC. Nancy will be investigating this as another option to additional gaming dollars.

Rosanna McGregor: Gaming Grant info workshop being held Oct 21st (sent via updates). Friendly reminder - next Tues Oct 4th at the Longhouse, sponsored by the Union of BC Municipalities is a Truth & Reconciliation event - to strengthen the relationship with local governments. You need to RSVP. The following day, they will be at the schools working with small groups of students. Difficult topic to discuss - this should be a direct result of survivors (talking from direct experience).

Rosanna cont': Housing First & affordable home ownership is an important issue right now. CMHC - help with down payments, and lower financing options (e.g. below prime rates). The SPC was invited to attend a meeting at the City that was economically driven (Jessica and Rosanna attended)

Kathie Vilkas (Hospice): Hospice volunteer training (now renamed to be "End of Life Hospice training" is happening again in October (info sent in updates).

Sarah Jackman (Punky Lake Wilderness Camp): Fright Night event coming up. New probation support services employee. New Safety initiative - crime prevention strategy project funding opportunities - more updates will follow as this is further developed. A position will be created shortly - Increased interagency collaboration will be one duty for this job. This is to boost local programs that already exist (community committee to make community decisions). Long standing Senator Landon Pearson (met with Sarah last year) at a Youth leadership workshop on Child & Youth rights (Shaking the movers - brings broad range of children together). Beginner conversations at this time, but looking for more participants.

Carla Bullinger (CCPL): one to one mentoring, and computer literacy programs at the Library (free), as well as Financial Empowerment Workshops (name changed) are available through CCPL.

Margaret Anne Enders (CMHA): Orange t-shirt Day is this Friday. Note- Orange T-Shirt Day started right here in the Cariboo and is now celebrated nation wide. Two new families from Liberia (multi generational families are coming to WL sponsored by two different groups 1) Catholic church, and 2) WL Refugee Sponsorship group.

Meeting was then adjourned. The next SPC Meeting will be held on either Oct 24, or Nov 4 - To be announced once confirmed.