A new panel will advise the province on measures to address mental health and addiction issues. (Photo 156505178 / Alberta Legislature © Lisa Bourgeault | Dreamstime.com)

By Justin Goulet/LethbridgeNewsNOW

Provincial Politics

Advisory panel to focus on addressing mental health and addictions in Alberta

Feb 22, 2023 | 1:23 PM

The provincial government has named the members of a new advisory panel.

The Government of Alberta said the Recovery Expert Advisory Panel will advise on plans to build on the province’s recovery-oriented systems of care and addiction for mental health.

Minister of Mental Health and Addiction, Nicholas Milliken said, “Alberta is leading the country in recovery-oriented care. We’re proud to bring together some of the most highly respected experts in North America to provide insight and advice as we further develop our recovery-oriented system of care and help support more Albertans in their pursuit of recovery.”

The panel will provide ongoing advice on how to province can address issues around addiction and mental health. One of the members of the panel is Charles Weaselhead, chancellor at the University of Lethbridge. Weaselhead is also a former chief of the Blood Tribe and grand chief of Treaty 7.

He said, “Recovery is about resilience, and Alberta has been working to increase access to effective and culturally appropriate systems of care for people struggling with addiction.”

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Weaselhead added, “I’m pleased to lend my perspective and knowledge to build on this momentum and help more people, families and entire communities.”

In total, the panel is comprised of 16 experts from various fields. Members include:

• Dr. Keith Humphreys (chair), professor of psychiatry and behavioural sciences, Stanford University
• Dr. Nathaniel Day (vice-chair), medical director, addiction, Provincial Addiction and Mental Health and Correctional Health Services Portfolio
• Charles Weaselhead (vice-chair), chancellor, University of Lethbridge and former Blood Tribe chief and Treaty 7 grand chief
• Dr. Ray Baker, physician, Family Medicine, and Addiction Medicine
• Dr. Victoria Burns, associate professor, faculty of social work, University of Calgary
• Dr. Charl Els, senior medical advisor, Physician Health Monitoring Program, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta
• Blair Gibbs, public policy consultant
• Dr. John Kelly, professor of psychiatry in addiction medicine, Harvard Medical School
• Dr. Anna Lembke, professor and chief, Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic, Stanford University
• Billy Morin, former grand chief of the Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations
• Dr. Johanna O’Flaherty, psychologist, author, speaker, and crisis manager
• Kelly J. Ogle, CEO, Canadian Global Affairs Institute
• The Honourable Bonnie L. Rawlins, KC, former justice, Alberta Court of King’s Bench
• Dr. Julian Somers, distinguished professor, Simon Fraser University
• Tom Stamatakis, president, Canadian Police Association
• Dr. Rob Tanguay, psychiatrist and chief medical officer, The Newly Institute

More details on the panel are available through the Government of Alberta website.

Lori Sigurdson, Alberta NDP Critic for Mental Health and Addictions, made the following statement in response:

“The failure of Danielle Smith to effectively respond to the drug poisoning and mental health crises is obvious to anyone who walks in the downtown cores of our major cities. Clearly, there are more Albertans forced onto the street, more Albertans with untreated mental health problems, and more Albertans living with untreated addiction. Many of these Albertans have been forced out of housing and onto the streets by the UCP.

“Tragically, the UCP model has also caused an historic number of preventable deaths among Albertans.

“None of these problems will be addressed by another panel, the third one assembled by the UCP on this issue, and the fifth if you include the so-called public safety task forces. While Danielle Smith threw herself a party at taxpayers’ expense this week, Alberta families are still losing loved ones, and downtown residents and businesses are seeing increasing desperation on the streets.

“An Alberta NDP government will provide an evidence-based response with a focus on saving lives and protecting communities.”