'It's going to take the community': Yukon faces Canada's worst toxic drug death rate
CTV
When the doors close at night at the administration office at Yukon's Carcross Tagish First Nation, a van hits the road and drives through the communities to offer naloxone to reverse overdoses, drug testing kits, food and even a friendly face to help those struggling because of the opioid crisis.
When the doors close at night at the administration office at Yukon's Carcross Tagish First Nation, a van hits the road and drives through the communities to offer naloxone to reverse overdoses, drug testing kits, food and even a friendly face to help those struggling because of the opioid crisis.
The nation's director of health and wellness, Stacey Robinson-Brown, said the new outreach van -- a common tool in larger Canadian urban centres -- is run three days a week to get more "boots on the ground" after-hours and connect with people who might need support in the communities with a population of just over 700 people.
"Not all crises happen before 5 p.m." she said.
Robinson-Brown said they want to meet people where they are and perhaps help pull them back from deep waters to start a healthier life.
"Even if we could change the lives of some people in terms of maybe some of their use, I think that would make a world of difference."
While Yukon faces Canada's highest per capita death rate from illicit drugs, First Nations in the territory say toxic drugs are disproportionately affecting their people. Two nations have declared states of emergency as their members overdose and die.
Carcross Tagish First Nation declared a state of emergency over the opioid crisis in January 2022, when three citizens died of overdoses in the span of six days, Robinson-Brown said. At the same time, there were a lot of non-fatal overdoses that just "never make the news."
