An upcoming research project could help Thunder Bay’s Drug Strategy.
Co-ordinator Cynthia Olsen says it’ll come up with ways to measure the success of municipal Drug Strategies in Ontario.
#tbay Drug Strategy is looking to participate in a study to develop a way to measure the success of similar strategies across the province. pic.twitter.com/R6SlYSEScK
— @country105news (@Country105News) 24 March 2017
“At this point, there isn’t any framework that says, ‘these are meaningful indicators to do measures –annually, biannually– to help determine the success of a Drug Strategy in a community,’” Olsen says.
It’s being organized by the University of Toronto, along with the Haliburton Kawartha Pine Ridge Drug Strategy in southern Ontario.
Olsen says the HKPR Drug Strategy will supply most of the funding — $15,000 — and take part in the initial pilot project, but other Strategies are expected to raise a total of $10,000 to expand the study.
If the participating municipalities are able to pool the money together, Olsen explains, “We will also be able to have evaluation tools that are developed [and] will be available to all Drug Strategies.” She estimates the group has raised at least $5,000, and says she expects to hear whether the additional funding has come through on Tuesday.
Olsen says the project is still in the early stages and expects it to begin officially in April, although it’s not clear when the pilot project will begin. (File Photo)