Prairie Harm Reduction in Saskatoon which introduced the first safe injection site in the province is getting funding from the Government of Saskatchewan to provide a new program for at-risk youth.

The program will support up to five male youth in a safe and stable semi-independent living environment which incorporates a harm reduction model. Prairie Harm Reduction Executive Director Kayla DeMong says, “Michael’s Place is a semi-independent home for youth 16 years and older who struggle to maintain residential placement often due to substance use.”

The program is described as providing high-risk youth with a supportive, non-judgmental, semi-independent home-like environment with supports to address mental health and addictions issues. They will have 24-hour access to services. The goal is to help them transition to independence.

The Government of Saskatchewan will fund the new program in Saskatoon at a cost of $662,506 annually.

The province points out that in total PHR receives nearly $1.6 million in funding annually when another $618,000 is tallied in as well which is used to help Prairie Harm Reduction operate an intensive, harm reduction based in-home support program for families.