Addictions
New organizations for mental health and addictions to provide focused care and take pressure off health system
Refocusing health care: mental health and addiction
Alberta’s government is creating two new organizations that will support the development of the mental health and addiction system of care.
In November 2023, Alberta’s government announced it would be refocusing health care with the creation of four new organizations that will be responsible for the oversight and delivery of health care services in the province. The four new organizations include acute care, continuing care, primary care and mental health and addiction. The mental health and addiction organization will be the first of these to be established when it becomes an entity later this year.
The new mental health and addiction organization, Recovery Alberta, will be responsible for the delivery of mental health and addiction services currently delivered by Alberta Health Services (AHS). In addition, Alberta’s government is establishing the Canadian Centre of Recovery Excellence (CoRE) to support Alberta’s government in building recovery-oriented systems of care by researching best practices for recovery from around the world, analyzing data and making evidence-based recommendations.
“Refocusing health care enables us to better prioritize the health care and services Albertans need. Giving Albertans living with mental health or addiction challenges an opportunity to pursue recovery and live a contributing life is the responsible and compassionate thing to do. I am so proud of the work we have done to be leaders on recovery, and I am looking forward to seeing both Recovery Alberta and the Canadian Centre of Recovery Excellence continue this work for years to come.”
“Alberta is leading the country with the development of the Alberta Recovery Model to address mental health and addiction challenges. The establishment of these two new organizations will support the delivery of recovery-oriented services to Albertans and will further cement Alberta as a leader in the field. We are proud to establish Recovery Alberta and CoRE as part of the Alberta Recovery Model.”
“We’re making good progress on refocusing health care in Alberta. Today marks a pivotal milestone towards creating a system that truly serves the needs of Albertans. Through this refocused approach, our aim is to prioritize the needs of individuals and families to find a primary care provider, get urgent care without long waits, access the best continuing care options, and have robust support systems for addiction recovery and mental health treatment.”
Recovery Alberta
In August 2023, Alberta’s Ministry of Mental Health and Addiction began the process of consolidating the delivery of mental health and addiction services within AHS, a process that was completed in November 2023 with no disruption to services.
Recovery Alberta will report to the Ministry of Mental Health and Addiction and further support the Ministry’s mandate to provide high-quality, recovery-oriented mental health and addiction services to Albertans. It is anticipated Recovery Alberta will be fully operational by summer 2024 and will operate with an annual budget of $1.13 billion from Alberta’s government. This funding currently supports the delivery of mental health and addiction services through AHS.
The current provincial leadership team for Addiction and Mental Health and Correctional Health Services within AHS will form the leadership team of Recovery Alberta. When Recovery Alberta is fully established, Kerry Bales, the current Chief Program Officer for Addiction and Mental Health and Correctional Health Services within AHS will be appointed as CEO. Dr. Nick Mitchell, Provincial Medical Director, Addiction and Mental Health and Correctional Health Services within AHS, will become the Provincial Medical Director for Recovery Alberta.
“Recovery Alberta will build on the strong foundation of existing mental health and addiction services that staff and clinicians deliver. By working closely with Alberta Mental Health and Addiction and the Canadian Centre of Recovery Excellence, Recovery Alberta will continue to set a high standard of care for mental health and addiction recovery across the province, and beyond.”
“Albertans deserve patient-centered care when and where they need it. By establishing Recovery Alberta, we have an opportunity to work together in a new way to make that a reality for our patients and our communities.”
While timelines are dependent on legislative amendments yet to be introduced, the Ministry of Mental Health and Addiction is aiming to establish the corporate structure of Recovery Alberta by June 3. Following the establishment of the corporate structure and executive team, staff and services would begin operation under the banner of Recovery Alberta on July 1.
Frontline workers and service providers will continue to be essential to care for Albertans. To ensure stability of services to Albertans, there will be no changes to terms and conditions of employment for AHS addiction and mental health staff transitioning to Recovery Alberta. Additionally, there will be no changes to grants or contracts for service providers currently under agreement with AHS upon establishment of Recovery Alberta.
Canadian Centre of Recovery Excellence (CoRE)
Alberta’s government has been leading the country in creating a system focused on recovery by building on evidence-based best practices from around the world. In five years, Alberta has removed user fees for treatment, increased publicly funded treatment capacity by 55 per cent and built two recovery communities with nine more on the way. Alberta’s government has also pioneered new best practices such as making evidence-based treatment medication available same day with no cost and no waitlist across the province through the Virtual Opioid Dependency Program.
To continue the innovative work required to improve the mental health and addiction system, Alberta’s government is creating the Canadian Centre of Recovery Excellence to inform best practices in mental health and addiction, conduct research and program evaluation and support the development of evidence-based policies for mental health and addiction. CoRE will be established as a crown corporation through legislation to be introduced this spring.
Alberta’s government has committed $5 million through Budget 2024 to support the establishment of CoRE. It is anticipated CoRE will be operational by this summer.
The CoRE leadership team will consist of Kym Kaufmann, former Deputy Minister of Mental Health and Community Wellness in Manitoba as the CEO. She will be supported by Dr. Nathaniel Day as Chief Scientific Officer of CoRE. Dr. Day currently serves as the Medical Director of Addiction and Mental Health within AHS.
“There is a need for more scientific evidence on how best to help those impacted by addiction within our society. The Canadian Centre of Recovery Excellence will generate new and expanded evidence on the most effective means to support individuals to start and sustain recovery.”
“The Canadian Centre of Recovery Excellence will provide the research and data we need to understand what works best when it comes to recovery. This new expertise and expanded evidence will provide us with further insight into how we can support communities, service providers and frontline staff to effectively help those living with addiction and mental health challenges.”
Quick facts
- Budget 2024 will invest more than $1.55 billion to continue building the Alberta Recovery Model.
- This includes a $1.13 billion transfer from Health to Mental Health and Addiction (MHA) for mental health and addiction services currently delivered by Alberta Health Services.
- Virtual engagement sessions for AHS staff and service providers will be held on April 11, 16, 17 and 22.
Related information
News release from Alberta RCMP
Virtual Opioid Dependency Program serves vulnerable population in Red Deer
Since April 2024, your Alberta RCMP’s Community Safety and Well-being Branch (CSWB) has been piloting the Virtual Opioid Dependency Program (VODP) program in Red Deer to assist those facing opioid dependency with initial-stage intervention services. VODP is a collaboration with the Government of Alberta, Recovery Alberta, and the Alberta RCMP, and was created to help address opioid addiction across the province.
Red Deer’s VODP consists of two teams, each consisting of a police officer and a paramedic. These teams cover the communities of Red Deer, Innisfail, Blackfalds and Sylvan Lake. The goal of the program is to have frontline points of contact that can assist opioid users by getting them access to treatment, counselling, and life-saving medication.
The Alberta RCMP’s role in VODP:
- Conducting outreach in the community, on foot, by vehicle, and even UTV, and interacting with vulnerable persons and talking with them about treatment options and making VODP referrals.
- Attending calls for service in which opioid use may be a factor, such as drug poisonings, open drug use in public, social diversion calls, etc.
- Administering medication such as Suboxone and Sublocade to opioid users who are arrested and lodged in RCMP cells and voluntarily wish to participate in VODP; these medications help with withdrawal symptoms and are the primary method for treating opioid addiction. Individuals may be provided ongoing treatment while in police custody or incarceration.
- Collaborating with agencies in the treatment and addiction space to work together on client care. Red Deer’s VODP chairs a quarterly Vulnerable Populations Working Group meeting consisting of a number of local stakeholders who come together to address both client and community needs.
While accountability for criminal actions is necessary, the Alberta RCMP recognizes that opioid addiction is part of larger social and health issues that require long-term supports. Often people facing addictions are among offenders who land in a cycle of criminality. As first responders, our officers are frequently in contact with these individuals. We are ideally placed to help connect those individuals with the VODP. The Alberta RCMP helps those individuals who wish to participate in the VODP by ensuring that they have access to necessary resources and receive the medical care they need, even while they are in police custody.
Since its start, the Red Deer program has made nearly 2,500 referrals and touchpoints with individuals, discussing VODP participation and treatment options. Some successes of the program include:
- In October 2024, Red Deer VODP assessed a 35-year-old male who was arrested and in police custody. The individual was put in contact with medical care and was prescribed and administered Suboxone. The team members did not have any contact with the male again until April 2025 when the individual visited the detachment to thank the team for treating him with care and dignity while in cells, and for getting him access to treatment. The individual stated he had been sober since, saying the treatment saved his life.
- In May 2025, the VODP team worked with a 14-year-old female who was arrested on warrants and lodged in RCMP cells. She had run away from home and was located downtown using opioids. The team spoke to the girl about treatment, was referred to VODP, and was administered Sublocade to treat her addiction. During follow-up, the team received positive feedback from both the family and the attending care providers.
The VODP provides same-day medication starts, opioid treatment transition services, and ongoing opioid dependency care to people anywhere in Alberta who are living with opioid addiction. Visit vodp.ca to learn more.
“This collaboration between Alberta’s Government, Recovery Alberta and the RCMP is a powerful example of how partnerships between health and public safety can change lives. The Virtual Opioid Dependency Program can be the first step in a person’s journey to recovery,” says Alberta’s Minister of Mental Health and Addiction Rick Wilson. “By connecting people to treatment when and where they need it most, we are helping build more paths to recovery and to a healthier Alberta.”
“Part of the Alberta RCMP’s CSWB mandate is the enhancement of public safety through community partnerships,” says Supt. Holly Glassford, Detachment Commander of Red Deer RCMP. “Through VODP, we are committed to building upon community partnerships with social and health agencies, so that we can increase accessibility to supports in our city and reduce crime in Red Deer. Together we are creating a stronger, safer Alberta.”
By Alexandra Keeler
Across Canada, mobile health models are increasingly being used to offer care to rural and underserved communities
Saskatchewan has launched a small fleet of mobile wellness buses to improve access to primary health care, mental health and addiction services in the province.
The first bus began operating in Regina on Feb. 12. Another followed in Prince Albert on March 21. Saskatoon’s bus was unveiled publicly on April 9. All three are former coach buses that have been retrofitted to provide health care to communities facing barriers to access.
“Mobile health units are proven to improve outcomes for people facing barriers to healthcare,” Kayla DeMong, the executive director of addiction treatment centre Prairie Harm Reduction, told Canadian Affairs in an email.
“We fully support this innovative approach and are excited to work alongside the health bus teams to ensure the people we support receive the care they need, when and where they need it.”
Wellness buses
Like all provinces, Saskatchewan has been grappling with the opioid crisis.
In 2023, an estimated 457 individuals died from overdoses in the province. In 2024, that number fell to 346. But the province continues to struggle with fatal and non-fatal overdoses.
In late February, Saskatoon firefighters responded to more than 25 overdoses in a single 24-hour period. Just over a week later, they responded to 37 overdoses within another 24-hour window.
Saskatchewan’s wellness buses are part of the province’s plan to address these problems. In April 2025, the province announced $2.4 million to purchase and retrofit three coach buses, plus $1.5 million in annual operating funds.
The buses operate on fixed schedules at designated locations around each city. Each bus is staffed with a nurse practitioner, nurse and assessor coordinator who offer services such as overdose reversal kits, addiction medicine and mental health referrals.
“By bringing services directly to where people are, the health buses foster safer, more welcoming spaces and help build trusting relationships between community members and care providers,” said DeMong, executive director of Prairie Harm Reduction.
Saskatoon-based Prairie Harm Reduction is one of the local organizations that partners with the buses to provide additional support services. Prairie Harm Reduction provides a range of family, youth and community supports, and also houses the province’s only fixed supervised consumption site.
The mobile model
Saskatchewan is not the only province using wellness buses. Across Canada, mobile health models are increasingly being used to expand access to care in rural and underserved communities.
In Kingston, Ont., the Street Health Centre operates a retrofitted RV called PORCH (Portable Outreach Care Hub) that serves individuals struggling with homelessness and addiction.
“Our outreach services are extremely popular with our clients and community partners,” Donna Glasspoole, manager at Street Health Centre, said in an emailed statement.
“PORCH hits the road two to three days/week and offers a variety of services, which are dependent on the health care providers and community partners aboard.”
Street Health Centre also has a shuttle service that picks up clients in shelters and brings them to medical clinics or addiction medicine clinics.
The PORCH vehicles are not supported by provincial funding, but instead rely on support from the United Way and other grants. Glasspoole says the centre’s permanent location — which does receive government funding — is more cost-effective to operate.
“The vehicles are expensive to operate and our RV is not great in winter months and requires indoor parking,” she said.
Politically palatable
Many mobile health models currently do not provide controversial services such as supervised drug consumption.
The Saskatchewan Health Authority told Canadian Affairs the province’s new wellness buses will not offer supervised consumption services or safer supply, where drug users are given prescribed opioids as an alternative to toxic street drugs.
“There are no plans to provide supervised consumption services from the wellness buses,” Saskatchewan Health Authority spokesperson Courtney Markewich told Canadian Affairs in a phone call.
This limited scope may make mobile services more politically palatable in provinces that have resisted harm reduction measures.
In Ontario, some harm reduction programs have shifted to mobile models following Premier Doug Ford’s decision to suspend supervised consumption services located within 200 metres of schools and daycares.
In April, Toronto Public Health ended operations at its Victoria Street fixed consumption site, replacing it with street outreach and mobile vans.
The Ontario government’s decision to close the sites is part of a broader pivot away from harm reduction. The province is investing $378 million to transition suspended sites into 19 new “HART Hubs” that offer primary care, mental health, addictions treatment and other supports.
Glasspoole says that what matters most is not whether services are provided at fixed or mobile locations, but how care is delivered.
Models that “reduce barriers to care, [are] non-judgemental, and [are staffed by] trauma-informed providers” are what lead more people toward treatment and recovery, she said in her email.
In Saskatchewan, DeMong hopes the province’s new wellness buses help address persistent service gaps and build trust with underserved communities.
“This initiative is a vital step toward filling long-standing gaps in the continuum of care by providing low-barrier, community-based access to health-care services,” she said.
This article was produced through the Breaking Needles Fellowship Program, which provided a grant to Canadian Affairs, a digital media outlet, to fund journalism exploring addiction and crime in Canada. Articles produced through the Fellowship are co-published by Break The Needle and Canadian Affairs.
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