Pubdate: Thu, 12 Nov 2015
Source: Calgary Herald (CN AB)
Copyright: 2015 Postmedia Network
Contact:  http://www.calgaryherald.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/66
Author: Reid Southwick
Page: A6

NDP UNDER FIRE FOR CUTTING ADDICTIONS FUNDS

In Midst of Fentanyl Crisis, $13 Million Removed From Budget for Detox Centres

Health Minister Sarah Hoffman is facing criticisms after her 
department removed $ 13 million from its five-year capital spending 
plan for addictions and detox centres, arguing the ministry received 
no requests for the money.

The move comes amid a province-wide fentanyl crisis - with 145 deaths 
in the first six months of the year - while health officials and 
families report weeks-long waits for detox and treatment.

Before approving funds for new beds, Hoffman said she's awaiting a 
fentanyl treatment proposal from the province's health authority. 
Senior executives at Alberta Health Services are reviewing a draft 
plan to add new spaces, but the health minister said she hasn't seen it.

Meanwhile, Hoffman's department has earmarked $ 10 million in new 
funding to implement a mental health strategy after a committee 
reviewing mental health and addictions services submits 
recommendations, expected by the end of the year.

"There are some individual service providers who I'm sure would like 
to open new beds," Hoffman said. "But we need to make sure that I'm 
working with Alberta Health Services to make sure that they're based 
on where the demand is the greatest and that we're aligning those 
resources to where they can meet patient needs the best."

Fentanyl, an opioid up to 100 times more powerful than morphine, has 
emerged in Alberta's illicit drugtrade in recent years with 
devastating effect. Health officials forecast that 300 Albertans will 
die from the highly addictive drug by the end of the year.

In the first 10 months of 2015, Calgary police reported 84 drug busts 
involving fentanyl, the seizures ranging from personal stashes to 
larger-scale dealing operations. It's up from just six similar 
incidents in the same period last year. From Nov. 2 to 8 alone, 
police responded to four fentanyl overdoses in Calgary, one of them 
fatal. The victims ranged from 23 to 38 years old.

Alberta Health Services has activated an emergency command centre to 
co-ordinate a response to the crisis, with plans to expand the 
distribution of naloxone, a lifesaving antidote that reverses the 
effects of overdoses, but does nothing to treat addictions.

Jason Nixon, Whip for the Opposition Wildrose, questioned why the NDP 
government has ramped up capital spending across departments, but 
removed funds earmarked for detox and addictions.

"It seems like an alarming place to cut, given the importance of this 
issue and the clear need as you travel across the province for more 
addiction beds and more facilities to deal with these types of 
issues," said Nixon, a former executive director of the Mustard Seed 
in Calgary.

"It's alarming that a government that's looking for so few spots to 
actually cut costs looks there to cut a cost."

Hoffman said all detox and addictions projects previously approved 
would still receive funding. She said there was $ 13 million in the 
five-year capital plan that was not tied to any specific projects. 
And her department has not received any requests for more beds.

As a result, that $ 13 million was moved to the province's $ 4.4- 
billion general capital fund.

"I'm trying to do the responsible thing and making sure that we have 
projects that are going to meet the needs of the community, including 
those kids that are suffering from addictions," Hoffman said.

"And part of that is making sure that we do our planning."

David Swann, the interim Liberal leader who is co-chairing the 
government's review of mental health and addiction services, said the 
$ 10 million that the NDP has earmarked for a new strategy is a 
"small amount for the issues that we're dealing with."

The big question, he said, is where that money will be spent. Part of 
his review will consider areas of the mental health and addictions 
system that are in greatest need of new investment.

"We recognize that there are deficiencies in our system," said Swann, 
who has seen recent reports of increased health spending to combat 
the fentanyl crisis, though he didn't have details.

"We need to help the government focus its attention on the areas most 
in need and where most benefit could be achieved."

Mike Ellis, a Progressive Conservative and a retired police officer, 
said while there is a need to treat those suffering from addictions, 
the Alberta government must do far more to help policing agencies 
target fentanyl dealers.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom