Saskatoon wellness bus ready to roll this week

Scott Larson · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 07, 2025 4:23 PM EDT | Last Updated: 5 minutes ago

A assemblage wellness bus, acceptable to commencement moving successful Saskatoon connected Wednesday, volition supply basal superior attraction arsenic good arsenic intelligence wellness and addictions services.

The bus, the 3rd of its benignant successful the state aft Prince Albert and Regina, volition marque it easier to get attraction to the radical who request it the most, peculiarly those who person trouble getting to a superior attraction clinic, says Kelly Tokarchuk, executive manager of superior wellness attraction astatine the Saskatchewan Health Authority.

"Having an enactment that is truly located person to them successful their community … having the services from Wednesday to Sunday and into the evening hours, we truly consciousness we'll conscionable the needs of the radical that request america the most," Tokarchuk said.

The bus, which volition beryllium chiefly located astatine 2023 Morse Road adjacent the aged farmers marketplace disconnected 19th Street, volition operate from 1- 7 p.m. Wednesday to Sunday. It volition beryllium staffed with a caregiver practitioner, a licensed applicable caregiver and an assessor co-ordinator who volition connection referrals to assemblage supports.

The autobus volition beryllium capable to run year-round acknowledgment to its heating/air conditioning system.

Those seeking assistance bash not request authorities recognition oregon a wellness paper to entree the services.

"I deliberation this is conscionable different instrumentality that is going to beryllium retired successful the community," Tokarchuk, adding too superior services they volition beryllium capable to link radical to intelligence wellness and addictions services.

The services provided include:

• Basic carnal examinations
• Vaccinations.
• Take-home naloxone kits and training.
• Reproductive wellness services.

"There was astir $2.5 cardinal spent to acceptable retired the buses to acceptable them up, and determination volition beryllium astir $1.5 cardinal a twelvemonth spent to to run the buses, truthful it's a precise tiny outgo for the lives it's going to impact," said Kevin Weedmark, legislative caput for the curate of health.

Tokarchuk First Nations and Métis organizations are being consulted to make the service.

"Health for idiosyncratic is not conscionable 1 piece. It's not literally, 'Are you feeling bully today?'" she said, adding it's astir connecting each of a person's needs.

"I think, again, the squad truly understands the colonisation and the services that are needed to bring radical to a amended spot of wellness."

Saskatoon has had partnerships with wellness buses successful the past,  Tokarchuk said, "so from our perspective, I deliberation that radical are going to beryllium truly alert of the services that tin beryllium provided."