WHEREAS addiction to legal and illegal substances is an issue for all BC local governments and appropriate responses need to be developed province wide; AND WHEREAS addiction is a health issue that needs to be addressed with a comprehensive health response: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the UBCM support access to a comprehensive range of health services to address drug addiction including prevention, treatment and harm reduction interventions so that residents of BC local governments with drug problems have access to addiction services according to community need and distributed throughout the province.
Ministry of Health Government has made it a priority to build a comprehensive system of addiction services across the Province. All levels of government, community groups, individuals and their families have a role to play in this effort. In 2004, the Ministry of Health released a provincial planning framework to guide health authorities and their partners in developing comprehensive addiction services, including health promotion, prevention, harm reduction, early identification, treatment, long-term rehabilitation and reintegration. Municipal bylaws, regulations and policies can have a significant impact on the accessibility of some health services. An effective response to problematic substance use requires partnerships with municipal governments to ensure a full range of addiction services are available at the local level. Health authorities have been working to expand the continuum of services in their regions to ensure people with addictions can access care that matches their needs, regardless of whether the addiction is to a legal or illegal substance. All health authorities have moved to align mental health services with addiction services in recognition of the link between mental illness and addiction and to better serve those with concurrent disorders.