yyctimes

    Subscribe to Updates

    Get the latest creative news from FooBar about art, design and business.

    What's Hot

    $3.6M in meth seized from commercial vehicle at Coutts border crossing: RCMP

    March 23, 2023

    Alberta teen’s fatality inquiry to find solutions to protect children at risk: judge

    March 23, 2023

    Stanford study finds largest recorded Alberta earthquake likely caused by oilsands wastewater

    March 23, 2023
    • Home
    • Contact Us
    Facebook Twitter
    yyctimes
    yyctimes
    Home » Province forms task force to address social disorder in Calgary
    yyctimes

    Province forms task force to address social disorder in Calgary

    yyctimesBy yyctimesDecember 16, 2022No Comments7 Mins Read
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Telegram Pinterest Tumblr Reddit Email
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

    Breadcrumb trail links

    1. News
    2. Local news

    The Minister of Mental Health and Addiction did not rule out whether involuntary treatment could be imposed on people dealing with addiction issues under this task force.

    Jeremy Nixon, Minister of Seniors, Community and Social Services, speaks during a press conference announcing a new task force to help tackle homelessness and public safety in Calgary.  Friday, December 16, 2022.
    Jeremy Nixon, Minister of Seniors, Community and Social Services, speaks during a press conference announcing a new task force to help tackle homelessness and public safety in Calgary. Friday, December 16, 2022. Photo by Dean Pilling /Post media

    Article content

    Calgary will get its own provincially-run task force on social issues plaguing the city, similar to the one announced earlier this week in Edmonton.

    Advertisement 2

    This ad has not yet loaded, but your article continues below.

    Article content

    Provincial ministers, city councilors and indigenous representatives were at the McDougall Center on Friday morning for the announcement of The Calgary Public Safety And Community Response Task Force. The task force brings together $58 million in funding to address homelessness and addiction.

    Calgary Herald Headline News Banner

    Sign up to receive daily news from the Calgary Herald, a division of Postmedia Network Inc.

    By clicking the sign up button, you agree to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of our emails or any newsletter. Postmedia Network Inc. | 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4 | 416-383-2300

    Thanks for subscribing!

    A welcome email is on its way. If you don’t see it, please check your junk folder.

    The next issue of Calgary Herald Headline News will be in your inbox soon.

    We encountered a problem signing you in. Please try again

    Article content

    Mental Health and Addictions Minister Nicholas Milliken said the money will go toward a long list of items that include increasing addiction treatment capacity, converting former correctional housing units into treatment centers, creating hybrid police-health centers downtown, expanding medical detox services. , harm reduction outreach, and increasing access to affordable housing options.

    Advertisement 3

    This ad has not yet loaded, but your article continues below.

    Article content

    “We’re going to continue to build a system of addiction and mental health care that’s focused on prevention, intervention, treatment and recovery,” Milliken said.

    Mental Health and Addictions Minister Nicholas Milliken speaks at a press conference announcing a new task force to help tackle homelessness and public safety in Calgary.  Friday, December 16, 2022.
    Mental Health and Addictions Minister Nicholas Milliken speaks at a press conference announcing a new task force to help tackle homelessness and public safety in Calgary. Friday, December 16, 2022. Photo by Dean Piling /Post media

    The task force will be led by Jeremy Nixon, Minister for Seniors, Community and Social Services, who was previously executive director of the Mustard Steed.

    Nixon shared stories of his time working at the Mustard Seed, trying to help someone who came to him for help with addiction.

    “We went down to the detox center, but there was no room for him,” he said. “And he cried the whole way back because he was so desperate for help.”

    Nixon said community mobilization is needed to deal with the issues of addiction and homelessness, and that’s what this task force is meant to do.

    Advertisement 4

    This ad has not yet loaded, but your article continues below.

    Article content

    Patricia Jones, chief executive officer of the Calgary Homeless Foundation and a member of the task force, called the plan “cutting edge.”

    “Having all these ministries together is the only way we’re going to make change, and relationship is king,” she said.

    Questions have been raised about whether involuntary treatment could be forced on people dealing with addiction issues under this task force, as there are plans to convert correctional housing units into treatment spaces.

    Advertisement 5

    This ad has not yet loaded, but your article continues below.

    Article content

    Milliken didn’t rule it out, citing his mandate letter from the prime minister asking him to “explore treatment referral pathways for people with mental health and addiction issues within the criminal justice system.”

    He used the hypothetical example of someone who overdoses several times in a single day.

    “We need to have some kind of compassionate intervention mechanism to ensure that we can figure out ways to ensure that he or she gets the treatment that they need or want,” Milliken said. “And the ultimate goal there is to ensure that we can work to save people’s lives.”

    Councilors Sonya Sharp and Andre Chabot, City Manager David Duckworth, Calgary Fire Chief Steve Dongworth and Calgary Police Chief Mark Neufeld represent the city on the task force.

    Advertisement 6

    This ad has not yet loaded, but your article continues below.

    Article content

    Calgary Police Chief Mark Neufeld speaks during a press conference announcing a new task force to help tackle homelessness and public safety in Calgary.
    Calgary Police Chief Mark Neufeld speaks during a press conference announcing a new task force to help tackle homelessness and public safety in Calgary. Photo by Dean Piling /Post media

    Neufeld said there are often times when police are not best suited to respond to social disorder calls and he applauds the work of the task force.

    “It’s great to see leaders at this level come together to make sure we coordinate efforts across that continuum so we can have the best outcomes for people struggling with addiction, as well as the people in the communities communicating that they feel unsafe,” Neufeld said.

    Councilors Chabot and Sharp said they were approached to sit on the task force and accepted. Both said they could not comment further on how the task force will engage with the city until they have time to meet and discuss their mandate.

    Mayor Jyoti Gondek was not present at the announcement, but she did release a statement saying the city developed a multi-agency crisis response model earlier this year, and this approach shows the province sees the value in a collaborative approach. see.

    Advertisement 7

    This ad has not yet loaded, but your article continues below.

    Article content

    A meeting of a new task force to help tackle homelessness and public safety in Calgary.  Friday, December 16, 2022.
    A meeting of a new task force to help tackle homelessness and public safety in Calgary. Friday, December 16, 2022. Photo by Dean Piling /Post media

    “Following an initial announcement of $187 million in provincial funding in October 2022, I am pleased to see the establishment of a local task force to determine the most effective and meaningful approaches to creating a coordinated delivery model around housing, mental health and addiction support that is desperately needed in Calgary,” said Gondek.

    Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi was less diplomatic when a similar task force was launched by the province in his city on Tuesday. Sohi said he was not consulted before the announcement and expressed concern about the work being planned.

    NDP municipal affairs critic Joe Ceci responded to the task force announcement with a written statement, saying Calgary does not need another report on homelessness and addiction.

    “The UCP has already looked at the issue of mental health and addictions and housing in Calgary through their downtown working group,” Ceci said.

    “The report was released seven months ago with no action and no indication of what recommendations they plan to implement – if any. Now the UCP is revisiting the same issues. It’s an admission that they have no plan.”

    After the press conference, the task force held its first meeting at the McDougall Center.

    brthomas@postmedia.com
    Twitter: @brodie_thomas

    Share this article in your social network

    Advertisement 1

    This ad has not yet loaded, but your article continues below.

    Commentary

    Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourages all readers to share their opinions on our articles. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. We ask that you keep your comments relevant and respectful. We’ve enabled email notifications—you’ll now receive an email when you receive a reply to your comment, there’s an update to a comment thread you follow, or when a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings.



    Source link

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    yyctimes
    • Website

    Related Posts

    With economy on the rise, Alberta leads in interprovincial migration

    March 23, 2023

    Calgary Transit set to receive up to $32M for revenue shortfall

    March 23, 2023

    Braid: The Leader’s Dinner brings wads of cash to the UCP

    March 23, 2023

    Symend, one of Calgary’s top tech firms, cuts workforce by 25%

    March 23, 2023

    Smith addresses Calgary UCP supporters at Leader’s Dinner

    March 23, 2023

    Varcoe: Alberta trying to get energy companies to resolve unpaid taxes

    March 23, 2023

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    Don't Miss
    yyctimes

    $3.6M in meth seized from commercial vehicle at Coutts border crossing: RCMP

    By yyctimesMarch 23, 2023

    Cut back the font measurement of the article Improve article font A Calgary man charged…

    Alberta teen’s fatality inquiry to find solutions to protect children at risk: judge

    March 23, 2023

    Stanford study finds largest recorded Alberta earthquake likely caused by oilsands wastewater

    March 23, 2023

    Stanford study finds largest recorded Alberta earthquake likely caused by oilsands wastewater

    March 23, 2023
    Our Picks

    $3.6M in meth seized from commercial vehicle at Coutts border crossing: RCMP

    March 23, 2023

    Alberta teen’s fatality inquiry to find solutions to protect children at risk: judge

    March 23, 2023

    Stanford study finds largest recorded Alberta earthquake likely caused by oilsands wastewater

    March 23, 2023

    Stanford study finds largest recorded Alberta earthquake likely caused by oilsands wastewater

    March 23, 2023

    Subscribe to Updates

    Get the latest creative news from SmartMag about art & design.

    Our Picks

    $3.6M in meth seized from commercial vehicle at Coutts border crossing: RCMP

    March 23, 2023

    Alberta teen’s fatality inquiry to find solutions to protect children at risk: judge

    March 23, 2023

    Stanford study finds largest recorded Alberta earthquake likely caused by oilsands wastewater

    March 23, 2023
    New Comments

      Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.