Calgary Drop-In Centre receives $4M in funding to expand detox and recovery services
The provincial government has committed more than $4 million to help the Calgary Drop-In Centre and Albertans looking to beat addiction.
Fifteen medical detox and 20 pre-treatment beds will be created at the centre, which can support up to 1,000 Calgarians each year.
They'll help Albertans struggling with addiction to "safely withdraw from drugs or alcohol under medical supervision," explained a Wednesday news release.
Overdose teams, meanwhile, will work with local organizations to respond to overdoses both at the Drop-In Centre and in the community.
The teams will triage and treat patients in the centre soon, but there is no timeline for the mobile aspect of the rollout.
"People struggling with mental health and addiction deserve compassion and support, and at the Drop-In Centre, they receive both," said Sandra Clarkson, the centre's executive director.
"We’re pleased to work with Alberta’s government to deliver critical services to those in need and help more vulnerable people in our communities pursue recovery from addiction."
Nicholas Milliken, Alberta’s minister of mental health and addiction, says the impact of the funding will be 'life-saving and life-changing' for many Albertans."
RECOVERY ROAD
The funding is the latest provincial commitment to fighting addiction with a "recovery-oriented model of care," according to Milliken.
But while the UCP government repeatedly stresses the importance of treatment, some harm-reduction advocates call the laser-focused intent a missed opportunity.
"Recovery is just one step, and we're not really talking about the other parts," said Kat Hedges with the Alberta Alliance Who Educates and Advocates Responsibly.
"What about basic access to housing, food and job opportunities? I want to see where those pieces are."
Advocates say they're disappointed Wednesday's announcement didn't include more information about the Sheldon Chumir supervised consumption site, which was announced to be closed almost two years ago.
The province has yet to shutter or replace the service.
"The (Drop-In Centre) would be a great option to have a safe consumption site, and I think that's step No. 1," Hedges said.
Albertans experiencing addiction and mental-health challenges can call 211 Alberta, the Addiction Helpline or the Mental Health Helpline for support, information and referrals.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
OPP responds to apparent video of officer supporting anti-Trudeau government protestors
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says it's investigating an interaction between a uniformed officer and anti-Trudeau government protestors after a video circulated on social media.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Loud boom in Hamilton caused by propane tank, police say
A loud explosion was heard across Hamilton on Friday after a propane tank was accidentally destroyed and detonated at a local scrap metal yard, police say.