Outreach Services

The Outreach team focuses on providing health care, support, and programming, as well as advocacy for equal health care services for people who are street-involved and inadequately housed. Some people may have mental health disorders and/or misuse substances.

Harm Reduction

The Kwanlin Dün Health Centre embraces the harm reduction approach for clients to use drugs as safely as possible. The Health Centre and Outreach team supply safe injection equipment, safe crack kits, condoms, and naloxone kits to dispense at clients’ request and in a non-judgmental way.

There is a community needle drop box behind 24 O’Brien.

Overdose Prevention and Naloxone Kits

If you choose to use drugs, start with a small amount, don’t use alone, and have a phone and naloxone kit available.

Know the signs of an overdose:

  • Can’t be woken up or not moving
  • Choking, coughing, gurgling, or snoring
  • Lips and nails are pale, grey, or blue or turning these colours.

If you think someone might be overdosing, remember to follow SAVE ME:

  • STIMULATE. Unresponsive? Call 9-1-1
  • AIRWAY. Keep their airway open and clear
  • VENTILATE. 1 breath every 5 seconds
  • EVALUATE. Keep looking for changes
  • MUSCULAR INJECTION. 1 mL of naloxone
  • EVALUATE. Is a 2nd dose needed?

Naloxone kits and training are available at the Health Centre from 9 a.m. to 11:45 and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays, on the outreach van, as well as at other locations around Whitehorse. For more information, please see knowyoursource.ca or stop by the Health Centre.

The Downtown Outreach Clinic

The downtown outreach clinic is a joint program run by the Kwanlin Dün Health Centre Outreach Program and the Government of Yukon Home Care Program. It currently operates out of the Whitehorse Emergency Shelter on Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

At this clinic, a variety of services are offered including foot care, referrals to other agencies, sexually transmitted infection testing, and adult immunizations.

The Outreach Van

The Outreach Van is a mobile community outreach program aimed at meeting the health, safety and social needs of street-involved youth and adults who cannot, or choose not to access existing health services. It is a joint program between Kwanlin Dün Health Centre, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Society of Yukon (FASSY) and Blood Ties. Currently, it operates Monday to Saturday from 5 p.m. to 10 pm, excluding statutory holidays.

The Outreach Van’s nurses are employed by Kwanlin Dün Health Services. They provide health education to clients on topics like wound management, sexual health, vein care and infection prevention. Nurses provide on-site wound management. They also advocate to doctors and other medical professionals for appropriate services on behalf of van clients.