Whereas overdose from illicit drug toxicity is now the leading cause of unnatural death in BC and the BC Center for Disease Control advises that wide access to harm reduction and development of a comprehensive system of care remain key goals for saving and improving lives; And whereas the Province of BC has made funding grants available to eligible agencies to provide initiatives for harm reduction and access to treatment centres for those at risk of drug overdose: Therefore be it resolved that the UBCM lobby the Province of BC to streamline, expedite and increase the grant funding process to enable eligible agencies to more easily access funds for harm reduction and access to treatment centres for those at risk of drug overdose.
Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions Government recognizes the ongoing impacts of the toxic drug supply and how the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the public health emergency. As evidenced by Governments historic 500 million investment in Budget 2021, it is determined to build a comprehensive system of mental health and addictions care that people in British Columbia need and deserve. Budget 2021 included 45 million to address emergent needs related to the toxic drug supply through enhanced access to overdose prevention services, harm reduction supplies and increased accessibility of inter-disciplinary outreach teams and nursing care. Additionally, Budget 2021 includes 132 million to strengthen and expand access to substance use treatment and recovery services and supports providing the addictions care that British Columbians deserve. British Columbians are experiencing unprecedented rates of harm due to an illicit drug supply that is unpredictable and highly toxic. To address targeted needs within communities, Government invests 6 million annually to support local priority projects. Examples include: - 2.75 million to support 36 community action teams that support the development of local, integrated planning and strategies to address the overdose crisis - 1.526 million to support 23 rural, remote, and Indigenous-focused projects to support an equitable overdose response - 1.2 million to support the provincial peer network In addition to the historic investment committed through Budget 2021, the Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions, has itself, provided over 32 million in grant funding since 2017 to support mental health and addictions related services and initiatives such as: - 13.5 million to the Canadian Mental Health Association BC Division to support increased access to substance use treatment beds throughout the province. - 4.7 million to Our Place Society to the development of therapeutic recovery centre - 1.0 million to the Canadian Mental Health Association BC Division to support awareness of harms reduction, pain management, pathways to treatment, and other information about mental health and substance use within the trades and construction sector - 2.015 million as part of the COVID-19 response to support 53 operators of eligible adult and youth bed-based substance use treatment and support recovery services. The Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions recognizes that timely access to funding is critical to address emergent needs in response to the toxic drug supply, and continues to work with partner Ministries, particularly the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Finance to streamline and expedite funding approval processes.