Ward 5 city councillor Joshua Wall has mixed feelings about the Brantford Downtown Outreach Team.

“At the end of the day, I’m thankful we have this team,” Wall said. “The work they do is important and I’m just so glad that we have people out there helping those who need it.

“This is something the downtown has needed for a long time.”.

At the same time, however, he wishes there wasn’t a need for a team, which includes an outreach co-ordinator, nurse practitioner, concurrent disorders clinician and peer support worker.

“But we have to deal with reality and the reality is we have a lot of people in our community who need support,” Wall said. “We also have a lot of people in the downtown – residents and business owners – who are looking to us for answers and they’re important, too.

“It just can’t be something for the police to handle or something for bylaw enforcement.”

The city needs a co-ordinated effort and that’s what the team provides, said Wall.

City councillors decided earlier this year to spend $280,000 of casino revenue to form a team that would help people battling addictions, mental health issues and homelessness as part of a year-long pilot project. The city has seen an increase in fentanyl-related overdoses as well as encampments of homeless people in and around the downtown.

The decision followed a report to council from Brantford police noting that officers had been responding to more social disorder calls, including those involving public intoxication and suspicious and unwanted people.

The team began work in the downtown in July and city councillors received a status report on the team’s work at a recent council committee meeting.

Councillors were told the team has been well-received and become a rallying point for community agencies. Though the program is still in its infancy, it is already showing some results.

So far, it has referred more than 60 people to community agencies for assistance. The team has also helped move six people off the streets and into more stable housing, councillors were told.

The team is currently working on the streets and in the parks but, as the weather changes, members will transition into city shelters and libraries to connect with people in need.

Councillors were told there are between 200 and 300 people living on the street or in local encampments.

Several councillors, including Jan Vanderstelt, spoke in favour of the initiative.

“I think this should be an ongoing project, not just a pilot project,” he said.

Coun. John Utley said he has heard people suggest the project is a waste of money.

“But I counter that if we don’t do something it will only get worse,” Utley said.

Meanwhile, Coun. Brian Van Tilborg called the initiative “timely.”

But Van Tilborg, like Wall, said he has received messages from people asking who they should call when they see a problem.

Following is a list of the phone numbers to call:

Call the outreach team at 519-717-6009 or e-mail abray@st-leonards.com if you witness someone experiencing homelessness or who may be in need of non-emergency medical support, clinical support or help to access food, shelter, or community services.

Call 519-759-7188 or 1-866-811-7188 for an immediate telephone response if you witness someone experiencing severe depression or anxiety, substance abuse or suicidal thoughts.

Call 519-759-4150 if you witness someone damaging property or creating a disturbance, including public urination, public intoxication, using obscene language, smoking tobacco or cannabis in a public place, or other disorderly conduct.

Call 911 immediately if you witness someone who needs urgent help because of a serious injury or an immediate health danger such as overdose, suicide attempt or disoriented, unco-operative behaviour that can cause self-harm or harm to others.

The year-long pilot project runs until the end of June 2020 and will be evaluated by James Popham of the Centre for Research on Security Practices at Wilfrid Laurier University.

But many councillors are already sold on the project.

“This is a great pilot program for the downtown but I think it should be a program for the whole city,” said Wall.

Vball@postmedia.com

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