Playing a vital role

On behalf of Interior Health, I would like to respond to the letter to the editor that appeared May 23 regarding Martin Street Centre in Penticton.
 
Martin Street is playing a vital role in addressing issues of substance use, mental health and primary care health services for the community’s most vulnerable population.
 
While substance use and homelessness continue to be a challenge throughout the region, the staff and physicians at Martin Street and our partners in the community are working hard to be part of a solution.  Since Martin Street opened in 2015, 746 patients who didn’t have a family doctor are now under the care of a physician. The centre is helping a high risk population take care of their own health, with reports of fewer Emergency Department visits and decreased walk-in clinic use.
 
Martin Street Centre is working to ensure that the plaza is kept as safe and clean as possible for clients and for the public. To do so, we are working with our landlord to have new signage posted and we are having the bench outside removed to deter any loitering. Surveillance equipment has also recently been installed. We continue to work with RCMP, who have increased the amount of routine surveillance done in the general area.
 
We are committed to open communication. We will be issuing a community update in the coming weeks to share further details about Martin Street’s success, and invite additional feedback from our neighbours.

Kevin Fraser, Manager
MHSU Penticton, Interior Health