Regulating Licensing of Recovery Homes

WHEREAS a paucity of residential treatment spaces exist for all individuals seeking assistance for substance misuse, resulting in long waiting lists and missed opportunities to address addiction when individuals are ready to do so; AND WHEREAS the infrastructure of provincial and federal health care cannot accommodate the demand for residential addiction treatment, the cost of private facilities is prohibitive to most members of the community, and the working poor are often exempt from accessing government funded facilities despite accommodation fee subsidies; AND WHEREAS alternative options such as recovery homes are not regulated and often staff lack the training and qualifications to maintain a safe and therapeutic environment for residents: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that affordable alternatives to existing residential treatment facilities and approaches such as regulating and licensing recovery homes be explored by the provincial government in the interest of providing better access to treatment for all individuals seeking assistance for substance misuse.