Indigenous communities in Alberta will have addiction treatment centers

2023-07-06 21:20:40

The second will be located in Siksika, in southeastern Alberta. Chief Ouray Crowfoot agreed to the provincial partnership because members of his community who suffer from substance abuse will be able to receive their treatment without having to leave their loved ones.

He adds that this center will be open to people who are not members of his community. The memorandum of understanding includes an envelope of 30 million dollars for the construction of the establishment of 75 beds and the payment of the personnel necessary to treat 300 people per year.

Unlike programs that offer detoxification for a limited period, the duration of treatment at these new centers will vary according to the needs of the patients.

The detox programs that exist today don’t work for First Nations people, but they don’t work for Canadians either, or the number of people with addictions would go down, he says.

Curing a disease like addiction can require long-term treatment, because you have to treat the heart of the problem and not just the symptom, adds the chef.

Construction of the two centers will begin in 2024. The province is negotiating similar agreements with other First Nations and aims to build 11 in all, including in Red Deer, Lethbridge and Grande Prairie.

These announcements are part of a model of managing the opioid crisis that the government of Danielle Smith calls the Alberta model. The aim is to treat rather than imprison, said Daniel Williams, Minister of Mental Health and Dependency.

The most humane thing to do is to have more beds and free treatment for anyone and anywhere across the province, explains the provincial minister.

Danielle Smith made a point of specifying that this model is a system with several solutions and several stages.

Finally, if nothing works and we have someone who repeatedly harms themselves or others, we will create a care order mechanism, concludes the Prime Minister.

1688680622
#Indigenous #communities #Alberta #addiction #treatment #centers

Leave a Replay