Gaps in mental health and addictions treatment

Editor:

The recent Friends of Medicare AGM featured a panel discussion that clearly exposed gaps in Alberta’s treatment of mental health and addictions. The panelists were Heather Woodward (manager of addictions and mental health), Russ Webb (insight counselling) and Sgt. Travis Funk (MHPS).

The gaps they outlined include a lack of financial and personnel resources. There is also a failure of government regulation. Russ Webb noted that anyone in Alberta can call themself an addictions or personal counsellor. There is no provincially recognized counselling college or professional body to create standards and certify legitimate training. Consequently, some Alberta counsellors lack accountability. Some may harm, rather than help, clients.

Heather Woodward was challenged by a story of someone with an addiction who wanted immediate entry into a detoxification program. He was informed there was a weeks-long delay for admission. This is a reality for those seeking treatment. In the intervening time, this person over-dosed.

Heather’s rationale hinged on a lack of resources. While she clearly believes that, “Every door is the right door,” too often there’s no one home when the knock comes. Perhaps more government funding, more trained personnel and more available programs could fill the gap.

Sgt. Funk, holder of an MA in Counselling Psychology, is a credit to our police service. He echoed the theme of diminishing resources. Funding cuts ended the pilot Community Assistance Response initiative (CARe) that sent a team comprised of an officer, psychologist and a community support worker to domestic and mental health/addiction calls. Funding from both the city and province was denied.

The program freed other officers to deal with property crime, vandalism and threats to public safety. The PoliceAHS, Crisis Team (PACT) has also been discontinued. Sgt. Funk now provides a three-day orientation to mental health and addictions issues for all our police officers. And that’s it. While American cities are moving toward community support approaches, Medicine Hat now has only Sgt. Funk. Thank Heaven! But we can and must do more again.

A special thanks to the panelists for identifying these gaps. — Les Pearson Medicine Hat