b'With this understanding, prescribers can work with families and the whole community in establishing strategies that will support the wellness of people who use drugs. In communities that had those kinds of partnerships during the pandemic, Hopkins says they did not see the same rise in opioid poisoning deaths. In fact, they saw an increase in compliance with community lockdown measures: Because the community had a philosophy of were in this together. So people in those environments, people who use drugs were not marginalizedin fact, they were part of the Chief Peter Collins at the RAAM clinic ribbon cutting.community fabric. The Gwekwaadziwin Miikan Youth Mental Health & Addiction Program, located in Aundeck Omni Kaning First Nation on Manitoulin Island, is a three-phase program for young adults ages 19-30 struggling with addictions and other mental health issues. Sam Gilchrist was brought on board in June 2015 and is now executive director for their Seven Grandfathers Program. Different community leaders really saw a need for this type of program-ming, Gilchrist says. They were seeing youth and communities at large being affected by mental health and addiction. But particularly they wanted to address the needs of youth to try to change the direction for communities. The first phase of the program is land-based treatment, meant to get participants outside of the facility. This seasonal programming is conducted 365 days a year and changes with each of the seasons. For example, summer Chief Peter Collins at the RAAM clinic ribbon cutting.I ssue1 2021C hIefs ofo ntarIoA dvocAte magazIne l 33'