Oxford Drug Strategy
Oxford Mental Health and Addictions Action Coalition
(formerly the Oxford County Drug and Alcohol Strategy)
The Steering Committee is led by:
- Peter Heywood, Director, Southwestern Public Health
- Lynn Wardell, Regional Director, Canadian Mental Health Association Thames Valley Addition & Mental Health Services
The membership of the Steering Committee is comprised of:
- 2 Community Members/Persons with Lived Experience
- Canadian Mental Health Association Thames Valley Addiction & Mental Health Services
- Southwestern Public Health
- Tillsonburg District Memorial Hospital
- Woodstock Hospital
- Ontario Provincial Police – Oxford Detachment
- St. Joseph’s Health Care
- Domestic Abuse Services Oxford
- Woodstock Police Services
- Oxford County Community Health Centre
- Ingersoll Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic
- Indwell
- Oxford County Human Services
- Thames Valley Family Health Team
- Operation Sharing
- Regional HIV / AIDS Connection
- Wellkin Child & Youth Mental Wellness
- Oxford Ontario Health Team
Vision
A community working together to help prevent and reduce problematic substance use and problematic substance-use related harms within the community.
Mission
To provide an action plan highlighting priority areas and clear pathways to achieving all community-based recommended actions.
Core Themes Emerging From Community Consultations
Qualitative analysis of focus group and interview discussions carried out during the community consultations identified a number of core themes and concerns regarding problematic substance use in Oxford County.
These Core Themes Include:
- Addressing stigma;
- Investing in upstream approaches;
- Ensuring adequate housing;
- Reducing transportation barriers and increasing outreach initiatives;
- Building local infrastructure and resources for problematic substance use;
- Enhancing education and awareness;
- Supporting and engaging families; and
- Focusing on children and youth.
Recommended Actions
Based on the evidence review and community consultations, recommended actions relating to addressing the core themes were identified. These recommended actions were organized according to the four pillars and address a range of strategic areas including:
- Leadership and Coordination;
- Education and Awareness;
- Community Capacity Building;
- Training, Research, Evaluation & Advocacy; and
- Social Determinants of Health.