Rapid Access to Addictions Medicine Clinic

At the AHWC Rapid Access to Addictions Medicine (RAAM) Clinic, we make it our mission to welcome all community members with warmth and compassion. We give our constituents a space where we encourage and help them begin their healing journey with dignity. We use the AHWC Shared Philosophy as a guideline to provide culturally safe healthcare.

– When you arrive on walk-in days, you will be met by our Greeter to register & have the opportunity to smudge, drum, and sing.

– We aim try to meet your basic needs (snacks, comfort, culture) while you wait for services.

– During your initial assessment, you will meet with a team consisting of a nurse and counsellor at the same time. We believe that this will offer a more rounded and comprehensive conversation so that we can better assess your needs.

– Anyone who comes to our clinic will see & feel Indigenous culture infused into our practice. We use traditional medicines in all areas of our clinic.

– No referral or appointment necessary – services are your choice & we follow your lead.

– Please note that we have our physician on site for 4 hours per clinic day and because you will likely spend some time, often hours with us, the number of individuals that we can accommodate is limited. Please come as early as possible as we see constituents on a first come, first serve basis.

– We are a small clinic, so when you come for a follow up appointment, you will be greeted with friendly, familiar faces.

– We understand that with recovery often comes feelings of discomfort. In our clinic we offer a quiet room with reclining chairs, weighted blankets, with use of a sound machine and/or television.

– Should you be in need of reliable transportation to come back to the clinic the day of your follow up, bus tickets are available at no cost.

– We understand that accessing RAAM Clinics within the city for many of our unsheltered community members can be very difficult or simply not possible. Our mobile unit is our way of delivering RAAM services to those community members who have limited means of mobility and/ or transportation.

– RAAM services are offered out of our mobile unit (VEEMA, AKA RAAM-bulance) every Saturday.

o OAT induction.

o Counselling services.

o Cultural/Indigenous social planner services.

– Harm-reduction kits, Naloxone training, & basic needs (food, comfort, resources) available.

– Director

– Greeter

– Medical Office Assistant

– Psychiatric Nurses.

– Registered Nurses.

– Indigenous Social Planner.

– Crisis Counsellor.

– Rehabilitation Counsellors.

– Doctors specializing in Addictions Medicine.

The whiteboard in our clinic hallway is where we note the feedback from our constituents. This visual cue gives the staff our daily reminder of why we do this work. Quote: “I can tell you all have lived experience. Everyone looked me in the eyes. It feels good to be here.”