Positive Living Fraser Valley
For over 20 years, our Positive Living program has provided a range of support services across Fraser East BC communities including, Abbotsford, Mission, Chilliwack and all the way to Boston Bar.
In April 2020, Phoenix Society merged with the Positive Living Fraser Valley Society (PLFV), based out of Abbotsford. The decision to bring our organizations together was a simple one; our respective boards saw that with this collaboration our clients would have the opportunity to enter one of the service locations in Abbotsford or Surrey, and be connected to an extensive continuum of services that would start them on their journey to recovery and wellness and help lessen the harms caused by substance use or their HIV/Hepatitis C diagnosis.
HIV Outreach Services
Our HIV Outreach workers provide one-on-one case management for HIV positive clients, including:
- Support during medical appointments, including monitoring appropriate communication between both parties
- Medical navigation & emotional support
- Assistance with basic needs such as grocery shopping
- Medication reminders & check-ins to ensure health and safety of client’s wellbeing
- Managing client appointments & ensuring positive relationships/experiences are kept in the community by helping client keep appointment dates, and/or rescheduling dates when clients are unable to make set times
Street Reach – Harm reduction
Five days a week our mobile van provides Harm Reduction services to Abbotsford and Mission, also working with other Programs in Chilliwack to ensure adequate supplies, overdose Prevention education and kits are available. Naloxone Training has been provided in Chilliwack Pharmacies and at the Chilliwack Community Centre, including:
- Clean drug use supplies & condoms
- Information regarding safer use, prevention of overdose and infections
- Connections to local shelters and The Abbotsford Community Hub
- Overdose prevention in effect
Drop-in Centre Services
Our Prevention Assessment Referral Clinic (PARC) Drop-in Centre offers services to vulnerable populations in Fraser East region of British Columbia, providing assessment, referrals, access to on site medical care, harm reduction supplies and onsite supervised consumption. PARC averages approximately 9000 visits per quarter and a planned iOAT clinic is also expected to open out of the PARC Drop-in Centre soon. Drop-in services include:
- Daily lunches, a cup of coffee (first come, first serve)
- Access to shower and laundry facilities
- Food Bank providing nutritional support to those who are HIV+ or living with Viral Hepatitis operated in partnership with Archway Community Services
- Access to our on-site nurse practitioner when permitted or an appointment is made
- Access to naloxone training, naloxone kits and other harm reduction supplies
- Access to peer counselling
- PARC is open seven days a week, including holidays
Medical Outreach and Referral Engagement
For the past 5 years we have provided a Medical Outreach Worker whose main role is to identify those needing connections to care within the Fraser East region. This position tracks people’s appointments (specialist, diagnostics, nurse practitioners) and goes into encampments to give individuals rides to medical and other appointments to ensure that they keep the connections to the care they need to support their health and wellbeing. This outreach worker also identifies those that are extremely ill and need to be taken to ER or other facilities for immediate assistance, also providing assessment of which services fit particular client needs, including:
- Infectious and Blood Born Disease Specialist
- STBBI, HCV and HIV testing support
- Abbotsford Mental Health & Abbotsford Addictions
- Opioid Agonist Therapy (OAT) referrals – Methadone, Suboxone, Kadian
- General practitioner and nurse practitioner
- Detox or treatment options
This position provides care to all those at risk of HIV or Viral Hepatitis, including individuals already diagnosed with Hepatitis C, working closely with our onsite Nurse Practitioners and Infectious Disease Specialists.
Thank you to United Way Lower Mainland for its support of Positive Living programs. Contact them to learn more at www.uwlm.ca
