Whereas substance abuse is considered to be a pandemic mental health disorder across Canada; And whereas there are insufficient services available to assist those suffering through this pandemic who want to detox and rehabilitate themselves: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM petition the Provincial Ministry of Health to provide additional resources to fund more services and beds for rehabilitation.
Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions The Province recognizes the ongoing need to enhance mental health and substance use supports for British Columbians, particularly those in rural and remote areas. We are committed to providing access to a range of quality options with residential, or bed-based services, being one part of a comprehensive continuum of care. Through Budget 2021, the Province has made a historic investment of over 500M in mental health and addiction care with over 132M over three years allocated for adult treatment and recovery services. These funds will support investments in withdrawal management, transition and assessment, specialized treatment and recovery, and aftercare services, representing an additional 195 treatment beds and over 132 new FTE positions, including beds and FTEs to support detox and treatment services. This investment addresses critical gaps in care through increasing access to services, reducing wait times, improving transitions through the system, supporting innovative initiatives improving client attachment and promoting holistic, person- centered and culturally safe services. A Pathway to Hope, released in 2019, sets the 10-year vision for a new system of mental health and substance use care, with an emphasis on prevention, promotion, early intervention and integrated services, that builds on existing initiatives and implements new, innovative approaches. Through A Pathway to Hope, BCs roadmap for making mental health and addictions care better for people, the Province is implementing a suite of evidence-based and culturally safe programs and supports that focus on problematic substance use prevention for children, youth, and young adults, and connecting young people to integrated care early before small problems become large. In addition to the 132M in treatment and recovery funds, Budget 2021 provided 97 million for integrated mental health and substance care for children, youth and young adults. This includes significant new investments to expand community-based prevention, early intervention, and wraparound substance use services for youth, as well as supporting expanded access to Foundry, a network of centres and online supports that offer young people ages 12 to 24 integrated health and wellness supports, including substance use services. Budget 2021 included additional funding to expand Foundry Virtual and open four new Foundry centres, for a total of 23 centres province-wide by 202526. These investments build on new substance use treatment services already underway such as the creation of 123 new youth substance-use treatment beds doubling youth substance use beds in the province and more than 100 new adult treatment and recovery beds that are being added throughout the province. We are actively working with health authorities, who are responsible for delivering substance use treatment services in the province, to plan and implement these new and enhanced services. Through collaboration with health authorities, local governments, Indigenous communities, and organizations, we believe the investments of Budget 2021 will lay the foundation for a comprehensive substance use system of care in British Columbia.