In conjunction with International Overdose Awareness Day on August 31, Alberta has unveiled its new mental health and addictions agency, Recovery Alberta. The agency marks a significant shift in the province’s approach to mental health and addiction services, aligning with Alberta’s broader health care restructuring.
Recovery Alberta will assume responsibility for the delivery of mental health and addiction services, as Alberta Health Services (AHS) undergoes a reorganization into four distinct sectors: primary care, continuing care, mental health, and addiction care. The transition will see over 10,000 AHS staff members, including those involved in addiction and mental health services and correctional health services, move to the new agency. Recovery Alberta will manage approximately 1,650 psychiatric beds, 1,350 addiction detox and treatment beds, and services for more than 4,800 individuals.
Minister of Mental Health and Addiction, Dan Williams, expressed optimism about the changes. “This summer, I had the chance to hear from many front-line staff about the work being done to improve patient care by prioritizing mental health and addiction services,” Williams stated. “Together, we have an opportunity to make meaningful and lasting changes to improve the wellness of Albertans, and through Recovery Alberta, we will make it happen.”
Despite the positive outlook from the government, the transition has raised concerns among harm reduction advocates. Petra Schulz, co-founder of Moms Stop The Harm, criticized the provincial government for lacking consultation with key groups involved in addiction treatment and substance harm reduction. Schulz argues that the government’s focus on abstinence-based treatments does not align with evidence-based practices that support a variety of harm reduction strategies.
“We don’t really know fully how this is rolling out. The government hasn’t really consulted with the people most affected, including those using drugs, their families, and healthcare providers,” Schulz told Global News. “They focus on addiction treatment—mostly abstinence-based addiction treatment—and that is not what the evidence shows works for most people.”
On the same day, hundreds gathered at Victoria Park in Edmonton to observe International Overdose Awareness Day and remember those lost to substance overdoses. Angela Welz, who has been organizing Edmonton’s overdose awareness event since 2017 following the death of her daughter Zoe from fentanyl poisoning, expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of the new agency in addressing the overdose crisis.
Welz highlighted the stigma surrounding drug use and the perceived inadequacies of the province’s response. “We had some difficult situations in our family. We had some losses that affected her. We failed and the system failed her. My daughter did not deserve to die,” Welz shared. “I don’t have much faith in the province’s response to curbing toxic drug deaths and overdoses even with the launch of Recovery Alberta.”
Welz remains committed to supporting grieving families and raising awareness about the realities of drug use. “Society just doesn’t understand what is involved with somebody who is taking drugs,” she said. “It’s affecting many more people. I think more people want to come out and express their grief with others who are experiencing the same thing.”
The province began tracking toxic drug deaths in 2016. Data from 2023 revealed a record high of 2,076 toxic drug deaths. However, recent figures indicate a decrease in the first five months of 2024, with 602 deaths recorded, down by 276 compared to the same period in 2023.
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