That syringe attack yesterday on an employee at the low barrier shelter on Chippewa St. yesterday may have put the entire program in jeopardy.
See: Arrest made after man stabs another in the back with a syringe
This afternoon the Nipissing Mental Health Housing and Support Services (NMHHSS) said it will pull out of its role as the operator of the Low Barrier Shelter (LBS) effective May 1.
“The incident which took place at the LBS last evening that left one of our employees with serious injuries is extremely disturbing,” stated Mary Davis, CEO of NMHHSS.
Over the past year, NMHHSS has provided emergency shelter services for the homeless under an agreement with the District of Nipissing Social Services Administration Board (DNSSAB).
The agency initially established a warming centre in its downtown drop-in centre last winter to provide a refuge from the cold.
The pandemic created an urgent need to establish a temporary emergency shelter says a news release from the agency. The Low Barrier Shelter was operated out of several locations over the spring and summer months before moving to its current site at the former OPP detachment on Chippewa Street West.
“We recognized there was a crisis in the community that needed an immediate response,” said Davis. “As an organization with 200-plus people behind it and as a good community partner, we were willing to step up and help.
“Operating the LBS has placed a considerable strain on our resources and impacted other parts of our agency,” she added. “We have come to recognize we can no longer continue to operate a 24/7 crisis service and believe there are other community partners who are better suited to deliver these services over the long-term. At our core, NMHHSS exists to deliver long-term treatment and service options.”
A statement from the District of Nipissing Social Service Administration Board, which oversees the shelter, says it "expresses its concern for the worker and wishes him a fast recovery. Not all people experiencing homelessness are violent, and the pandemic has put additional pressure on everyone, including the justice system regarding people in conflict with law."
"DNSSAB continues to work with its community partners to attain a new operator effective May 1," said Mark King, Chair of DNSSAB.
