Red Deer city council approves resolutions towards addictions recovery approach

The second resolution directs city administration to bring back an update on their December 12 meeting regarding the following:

Integration of a recovery-focused approach into City operations
Partnerships with community agencies around a recovery-focused approach
Working with the Government of Alberta to advance recovery-focused initiatives for the community
Working with the community to help Red Deerians embrace recovery across the health and wellness continuum of care, in the pursuit of individual and community health, safety, and well-being

On October 11, council reviewed several of the city’s related report from previous years, including the 2015 Alcohol & Drug Strategy Report, the 2016 Community Safety Strategy report, and the 2019 5 Year Integrated Plan on Community Housing and Homelessness.

Councillor Victor Doerksen questioned how the notice of motion was different in comparison to the various reports already completed. During his time as provincial MLA for Red Deer South from 1993-2008, he says he remembers decisions being deferred to later dates through the constant creations of reports rather than actions.

The mayor responded that the new recovery-oriented approach would not be starting over, but rather, building on previous reports. He says the current timing is optimal in comparison to past years as formal treatment centers are being built in the city such as the Dream Centre, the drug court, and the province’s first recovery community expected to open in Red Deer by the end of October.

“The difference is that we’re purposeful around bringing people into the state where if you’re looking for recovery in our city, you will find it. You will succeed,” he said.

READ: Premier Kenney cuts the ribbon on Red Deer Recovery Community

Mayor Johnston compared the growth and development of this approach to that of raising a child.

“Today, it’s in its infancy,” he said. “The bottom line is, we can’t say exactly what that baby is going to be, but we can nurture it and support it and provide for it and equip it, which is what we’ll be doing around recovery.”

Councillor Vesna Higham voiced support that the motion strays away from the current reliance on acute care as treatment and moves towards personalized care to tackle the root causes of addiction.

“We’ve been almost exclusively focused on protecting and supporting our vulnerable and, arguably, only really on one focused pillar of that continuum which has been harm reduction versus, arguably, extending that to our law abiding residents and hardworking businesses who have been, some say, proverbially hung out to dry,” she said.

“This is on a personal note, that phrase ‘safe consumption’ is a bit of a misnomer in my opinion because of the harm it inflicts, not only on the individual that consumes, but, as we’ve witnessed, on the broader community that is harmed in the process.”

Councillor Lawrence Lee expressed the need for concrete steps in a recovery-oriented treatment program and particular attention to be placed on youth. However, he says, at the end of the day, those suffering need to want the help first.

“That’s the biggest challenge for all communities; how do we get people to want to get treatment, to want to be a part of recovery? So that’s why I say, sometimes it’s tough love but we have to give them systems to allow them to make good choices,” he said.

by Alessia Proietti

Red Deer city council approves resolutions towards addictions recovery approach

What's Trending