Street health and harm reduction workers providing healthcare to people experiencing homeless and addiction have been under pressure for some time now, due to the lack of affordable housing and the ongoing opioid epidemic. The pandemic has made things even more difficult for these nurses and frontline workers.
Rise Up Strong is a 6 minute song/video created by street health workers, a singer-songwriter, and a researcher-filmmaker working with nursing school researchers. This work aims to raise awareness of the need to support the well-being of street health workers who care for community members affected by racism, trauma, stigma, poverty, mental illness, and dependencies.
In honor of Mental Health Awareness Week, please view and share Rise Up Strong to let it be known that we need to take care of street workers everywhere, and right here in Ottawa.