SOUND OFF: Transforming our system of substance-use care

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The ongoing drug poisoning crisis and the impacts of the pandemic on mental health have heightened the urgency of transforming our mental health and addictions care system.

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In Budget 2021, we made the largest-ever investment in mental health and substance use care in B.C.’s history. Last week, as part of that $500-million-dollar investment, we rolled out the new and enhanced treatment and recovery services that will be part of the transformation.

From harm reduction and withdrawal management, to transition and assessment, to treatment and aftercare services, we are increasing services across all regions of the province and across the continuum of substance-use care. This will include adding more than 130 new full-time staff and approximately 195 new substance use treatment beds to support people across B.C. to access quality and culturally safe services.

In Interior Health, we’ll be opening new outpatient withdrawal management services in multiple communities, to help people access the services they need to support them on their recovery journey.

We will be opening new transitional and stabilization beds to support people with care planning and connection to treatment after leaving withdrawal management. In the coming months, we’ll expand access to substance use clinics for aftercare in the Interior Health region. There will also be designated treatment beds for women in the Interior, so they can have equal access to the care they need in a safe environment.

These are just some ways in which we are working to make substance-use care more seamless and easier to access. We are working with each health authority to plan and implement these changes over the coming months and years.

We are steadily making progress, but we know there remains much more to do. It has never been more urgent to make systemic change in the way we deliver substance-use care for people. People who have mental health and substance-use challenges, the family members who care about them, and the communities they live in, deserve it.