Minister of Mental Health and Addiction, Dan Williams. (Supplied)

By Dan Williams, Minister of Mental Health and Addiction, and MLA for Peace River

Op-ed: The Alberta Recovery Model is restoring hope to those suffering from addiction

Apr 20, 2024 | 3:22 PM

This submission is in response to Op-ed: Danielle Smith’s Recovery Model is failing Albertans by the thousands

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All of North America is in the midst of an addiction crisis that is tearing families and communities apart – and Alberta is no different. Addiction is a progressive disease that may lead to death if left untreated. Like in all medical practice, the goal of treatment is the recovery of the patient. Given the crisis, Alberta, like every other North American jurisdiction has a choice in how we respond.

Thankfully, treatment is available and recovery from addiction is possible. Alberta’s government has changed the national conversation when it comes to addiction or mental health challenges to focus on recovery. Recovery is possible, that’s not my opinion and it’s not a political statement, it’s a medical fact and it is a fact that must no longer be ignored. It is our obligation to support people in their pursuit of recovery.

This illness can be brutal and I grieve with everyone who has lost a friend or family member to addiction. I also celebrate with the tens of thousands of Albertans who live their lives in recovery everyday and serve as an example to us.

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Alberta’s government is building the Alberta Recovery Model with a comprehensive focus on increasing access to treatment and recovery supports so that those with addiction can pursue recovery and live a fully engaged life. This model incorporates all aspects of prevention, intervention, treatment, and recovery in the response to addiction.

Last year, we opened the first of 11 recovery communities across the province, right here in Red Deer. This facility is a 75-bed world-class treatment centre available at no cost to individuals in their pursuit of recovery. The second opened in Lethbridge in the fall of last year, and nine more are on their way, with 5 being built in direct partnership with First Nations and Indigenous communities.

Red Deer is also home to Alberta’s first Therapeutic Living Unit, meaning the recovery community model has been adapted to operate within the remand centre. This specialized unit provides people in custody with an opportunity to pursue recovery. This innovative model also exists in correctional centres in Lethbridge and Fort Saskatchewan, and will be expanded to Calgary this year.

Alberta has also pioneered the Virtual Opioid Dependency Programme, which provides same-day access to life-saving treatment medication to those suffering from an opioid addiction. This gold-standard programme provides no cost and no waitlist access to medication-based opioid addiction treatment for people to start on the path of recovery anywhere across the province.

We also recently announced the establishment of Recovery Alberta, a new provincial health agency designated to the wellbeing of Albertans facing mental health challenges or suffering from addiction. Starting this summer, Recovery Alberta will continue delivering the mental health and addiction services currently delivered by Alberta Health Services.

Each of these investments are an important piece of the Alberta Recovery Model, along with significant investments into the mental health and wellbeing of Albertans and especially youth.

Activists have claimed that we are funding recovery to the exclusion of other services. This is simply not the case. Alberta significantly funds services that reduce harm to the tune of $36 million.

We fully fund our naloxone kit programme and make kits available at more than 2,000 locations province-wide.

We have in place the Digital Overdose Response System to automatically send emergency response if someone overdoses and becomes unresponsive.

Each of these programmes are part of and fully funded by our Alberta Recovery Model, and we consider them services that are an essential part of our continuum of care for those suffering from addiction.

The choice in front of Alberta is between recovery and a hopeful path forward, or a model that jurisdictions like Vancouver have chosen.

We will not adopt the devastating Vancouver model of handing out high-powered opioids en masse that are in the end diverted and resold, acting as currency within the black market, nor will we pursue the decriminalization of all hard drug use in playgrounds and school yards and hospitals.

We are proud to instead choose the Alberta Recovery Model, and ensure we give every person an opportunity to pursue recovery.

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EDITOR’S NOTE: The views expressed above are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of rdnewsNOW or Pattison Media. Column suggestions and letters to the editor can be sent to news@rdnewsNOW.com.

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