THUNDER BAY -- A woman’s health impacts the health of her child throughout their life, especially the effects of substance use.
On Tuesday, the Maternal Substance Use and Child Issues Working Group, formed out of a recommendation by the Thunder Bay Drug Strategy, hosted a workshop at the Oliver Road Community Centre to highlight the need for community agencies to come together to assist mothers with substance use issues.
Drug strategy acting coordinator Anne Ostrom said women who use substances were often the victims of abuse in their childhood and women are also more prone to live in inadequate housing and poverty in general.
“Women tend to turn to substances as a way to cope,” she said, adding they often have stressful lives, especially if single parents without social supports.
“It’s a big deal and it’s very stressful for women.”
Part of the solution is having the help women need in a one-stop shop type setting.
“It’s important for agencies to work together because for the woman and her family it’s not just substance use and treatment that’s important but also social determinants like housing, social networks, food security, poverty,” said Ostrom.
“The more we can get services under one roof or well-connected, that’s really a good thing.”
Aimee Jaun, addiction services manager at the Thunder Bay Counselling Centre, said it’s important for everybody to be on the same page.
The workshop had participants from the counselling centre, the City of Thunder Bay, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, Lakehead University, Dilico Anishinabek Family Care and other agencies.
“There are many objectives in this so for this work to happen, you need many organizations involved. There are many different intersection points for women in our community so it’s really important again we’re all working together and we’re all improving services together,” said Jaun.
