Guelph's Rapid Access Addiction Clinic will now operate 2 days a week

Guelph's Rapid Access Addiction Clinicwillbe able to help more people in need starting Feb.15, as they will now operate twice a week instead of just once.

RAAC is a walk-in clinicdesigned to help individuals with substance abuseaccess healthcare, counselling and community services operating out ofGuelph Community Health Centre.

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The cliniclaunched in June 2017 and ranonce a week on Mondays without any funding until November2017, Kristin Kerr,clinical lead for primary and acute care at Stonehenge TherapeuticCommunity, told CBCNews.

But funding from the Ministry of Health through the Waterloo Wellington LHINin the fall allowed the clinic to add a second day of operation on Thursdays.

"Addiction is a health issue that affects every one," Kerr said. "Some people really struggle to find a doctor or primary care provider who can support them with that. Having a second day a week will allow greater opportunity for health equity for this population."

Demand for services

The clinic provided services to 124 people approximatelyfour to five new patients every weekbetween June and December, according to a recent report fromStonehenge TherapeuticCommunity.

"There have been days where the demand for our services was more than ourcapacity for one day a week," Kerrsaid.

Over 50 per centof people accessing services reported alcohol as their substance of concern, but it was the percentage of patients with out a family doctor that stood out for Kerr.

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"About 20 per cent of the patients who came in don't have connection with a primary health care provider," she said.

Kerr adds that connecting people with a family doctor will be the clinic's next goal moving forward.

"It can be challenging for people struggle with their substance use or addiction to have access to primary care and so that's a piece that we are striving to do with this clinic," she said.