For Immediate Release
Addictions and Mental Health Ontario Calls for Community-Driven and Evidence-Based Approach to Expanding Addictions Care
Ottawa, Ontario (August 20th, 2024) – Addictions and Mental Health Ontario urges the Ontario government to expand access to the full continuum of mental health and addiction services in the newly proposed Homelessness and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) Hubs.
Today’s announcement and investment of $378 million provides an opportunity for the provincial government, municipal governments, mental health and addiction organizations, and other community partners to come together to improve access to addictions care and housing.
However, it is critical that these Hubs offer the full spectrum of addiction services including harm reduction, withdrawal management, counselling and treatment. AMHO is concerned by the government’s decision to permanently close over half of the province’s Consumption and Treatment Services (CTS) sites. CTS save lives, reduce harm, and offer a pathway to recovery for individuals with substance use disorders. These services are evidence-based, cost-effective, and improve the health and social outcomes of people who use drugs.
Last year, there were over 2,600 opioid related deaths in the province; and according to the latest research from the Canadian Drug Policy Coalition a fatal overdose is taking the life of approximately one Ontarian every 2.5 hours. Based on data from Health Canada, there have been no reported fatalities onsite at any CTS site in Ontario. Between March 2020 and January 2024, CTS’ in Ontario reversed nearly 21,000 overdoses – saving thousands of lives and diverting thousands of clients from emergency department visits and hospitalizations.
“While we welcome investments in supportive housing and addictions treatment amid a drug toxicity crisis here in Ontario, we need to invest in the full continuum of addiction services, and that includes harm reduction services,” said Karen O’Connor, CEO of Addictions and Mental Health Ontario. “This is a time when we should be opening more doors to services, not closing them. By cutting off harm reduction services, we are not only reducing access to care for clients, but we are eliminating a vital pathway to treatment and recovery.”
Ontario’s municipalities have been sounding the alarm for months over the climbing number of deaths in their communities – advocating for expanded access to CTS, harm reduction, mental health and addictions services more broadly. The closure of CTS sites risks pushing individuals into more dangerous environments, increasing their risk of injury, overdose, or death.
We urge the government to leverage this investment to work together with Ontario’s mental health and addictions sector to build Hubs that include the full continuum of addictions care tailored to local community needs. It is critical that those who use drugs and are struggling with substance use feel supported to access care, free from stigmatization and discrimination.
There is a path forward that can support both the health and well-being of people who use drugs and the health and safety of our communities. AMHO and its members are ready to work together with our partners in government and local communities to ensure every Ontarian is supported on their recovery journey.
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For more information, contact:
David Turnbull
Director, Public Affairs
Addictions and Mental Health Ontario
David.Turnbull@amho.ca