By Erin Knutson
Ankors peer health navigator and drug control technician James Kaufman is committed to inclusion, compassion, stigma reduction and diversity as part of the local branch’s mission statement to protect the well-being of its customer base in Cranbrook.
“We work from a welfare model through support and advocacy, harm reduction, prevention and education, the delivery of customer-centric programs and services focused on the whole person and partnerships with our community network, “he said.
Kaufman is part of a team dedicated to helping people treating HIV / AIDS, hepatitis C and other blood-borne pathogens that cause infectious diseases while promoting health and safety by providing resources, referrals and amenities to guests.
Ankors’ comprehensive damage reduction model provides people with a safe place to check their drug supply and remove paraphernalia, specifically drug needles, with an accessible needle removal container conveniently located outside of its central location.
“It creates a safe and anonymous option for people – many people are dying from fentanyl products, so if we can check to make sure the supply is clean, we can save lives,” he said.
Fentanyl is resistant to naxolone, which means that many deaths occur around its use. According to Kaufman, people die if they cannot receive treatment fast enough.
He is someone who speaks from the lived experience, putting him in the category of help of the health browser among equals.
“People will trust someone who’s been through it, much more than in a clinical setting – it’s easier to help someone or communicate with that person when you can relate to what’s going on,” he said.
James Kaufman
Kaufman recently completed his diploma as a human services worker at the College of the Rockies and is very proud of his work within the community.
There is no specific profile for the diverse Ankors clientele.
“A good percentage of people who visit are homeless, but we cater to everyone and see people from all walks of life,” he said.
According to Kaufman, there is a significant homeless population locally, and with it, a number of new problems, including the rise in crime in the city.
“It’s often a crime of survival: a lot of the thefts that have taken place are drug-related, they owe money or they need necessities to survive.”
There is a shortage of affordable housing, programming, financing and spaces for people currently on the street. As a result, treatment and hospitalization for mental health and addiction problems do not always occur.
Often people go out on the street unresolved or have nowhere to go, and the cycle repeats itself, depleting current resources.
The need outweighs available support leading to visible disparity in the community, including increased theft and the appearance of homeless camps, to the detriment of residents and business owners, Kaufman said.
“A lot of the people we see aren’t in a place where they can work; right now it’s about reducing the damage and doing everything we can to help them manage their circumstances.”
Kaufman boasts that he loves his profession on a normal day.
“We reach people who are scared and have nowhere to go, but just by being here, we help them know that they are not alone, and when someone leaves, and they feel a little better, that’s all, it’s good to be “Because we are all vulnerable, each of us,” he said.
For more information on Ankors, visit: About ANKORS – ANKORS
Main image: Peer Health Navigator and Drug Control Technician James Kaufman at the Ankors location in the center of Cranbrook. Photos by Erin Knutson
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