On-going
Way Forward Commitment:
Our government is committed to implementing all 54 recommendations of the All Party Committee on Mental Health and Addictions. Responsive and timely service, quality care, the breakdown of stigmas, and better health outcomes permeate our short, medium and long-term goals. Together, these actions will transform our mental health and addictions system into one that starts with the needs of the person and works towards recovery for individuals and their families. Our government’s approach is based on a stepped-care service delivery model that provides a continuum of services as alternatives to hospitalization.
In 2018, our government will release a Year One Progress Report and better enable Regional Health Authorities and community agencies to deliver critical services through increased provincial funding and $73 million over 10 years leveraged from the federal government under the new Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Health Funding bilateral agreement. Our government is committed to increasing spending on mental health and addictions to nine per cent of total annual health care spending, up from a starting point of 5.7 per cent, by 2022.
In 2018-19, our government’s investments in mental health and addictions services will provide community agencies with funding to expand peer support services and harm reduction initiatives, including the availability of more Naloxone take-home kits and needle exchange kits. Our government will double the capacity of the Strongest Families program to 500 families while expanding the Therapist Assisted Online program – launched here before anywhere else in Canada – from 15 to 30 clinics throughout the province.
In the coming year, our government will improve wait times by expanding walk-in clinics and after-hours services. Addictions services will be enhanced with increased access to Suboxone and other addiction treatment services.
What We’ve Accomplished:
- As part of the Provincial Government’s commitment to increasing access to Suboxone, special authorization is no longer required for this medication for clients of the Newfoundland and Labrador Prescription Drug program or employees and retirees under government’s group insurance program.
- As of March 31, 2019, spending on mental health and addictions is now at 6.6 per cent.
- Funding for community agencies and regional health authorities has been increased to expand harm reduction initiatives, including safe needle exchange and Naloxone Take Home Kits, and new peer support services.
- Since its introduction, over 1,200 families in Newfoundland and Labrador have completed the Strongest Families program, of which 92 per cent of those families have reported that the program addressed their presenting issues.
- Funding has increased for Strongest Families, allowing the program to double its capacity to approximately over 450 families and expand to youth and emerging adult population.
- DoorWays is now available in over 50 sites throughout the province, including all correctional settings, with additional sites to follow.
- On April 25, 2018, the Provincial Government provided multi-year funding for 22 community groups, including: Aids Committee of NL, Canadian Mental Health Association, Choices for Youth, CHANNAL and Stella’s Circle.
- On June 29, 2018, the Provincial Government was the first province to sign a bilateral agreement under the Government of Canada’s new Emergency Treatment Fund. This agreement will result in an investment of more than $4 million – $2.7 million from the province and $1.6 million from the Government of Canada in 2018-19 – to improve access to opioid dependency treatment in the province using multi-disciplinary teams, case managers, primary care providers and telemedicine.
- Since the implementation of Towards Recovery: The Mental Health and Addictions Action Plan for Newfoundland and Labrador, there has been a significant reduction in the number of people waiting for mental health and addictions counselling services across the province.
- Wait times have gone from 21 months to 24 days in the centre city area of St. John’s.
- The number of people waiting for counselling has decreased from 1,057 to 280 in St. John’s area.
- The number of people waiting for counselling has decreased from 192 to 17 in Corner Brook.
- Of the 54 recommendations in Towards Recovery, 28 have been completed. This includes the 18 short-term, eight medium-term and two long-term recommendations.
- The primary health care team on the Burin Peninsula has eliminated the waitlist for mental health and addictions counseling services, as well as eliminated the no-show and cancellation rates of appointments. Redesigning health care delivery through a team approach has enabled access to same-day, walk-in services whereas people previously waited up to eight months for service.
- On September 24, 2018, the Provincial Government announced that it has eliminated the wait list for mental health and addictions counselling services at the Labrador Health Centre in Happy Valley-Goose Bay. In partnership with the Community Coalition for Mental Health and Addictions, Labrador-Grenfell Health was able to transition from an appointment-based counselling service to a walk-in service.
- The I CAN (Conquer Anxiety and Nervousness) program was launched on October 12, 2018, which assists those ages 18 to 30 in dealing with anxiety.
- The Therapy Assistance Online (TAO) program is now available province-wide in both English and French.
- The Department of Health and Community Services worked with the Public Engagement Division to launch an online questionnaire on engageNL to gather input from youth and young adults (aged 12-25) about their experiences accessing mental health and addictions services. The questionnaire was launched on October 10, 2018 and ran until November 15, 2018. In total, 2,737 questionnaires were completed.
- On April 1, 2019, an opioid dependency treatment clinic opened at the Dr. Walter Templeman Health Care Centre on Bell Island. Operated by Eastern Health, the clinic will serve both new clients and those currently receiving treatment at another location. This new clinic will offer the first comprehensive mental health and addictions support program on Bell Island. It will include a physician and a nurse practitioner, pharmacy services, as well as addictions counselling services five days per week.
- The provincial Centre of Excellence for Opioid Dependence Treatment (ODT) is now established and their main focus is building the capacity for an ODT network in the province. This includes knowledge exchange, training opportunities, and consultation with health care providers (physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, pharmacists, etc.).
- The implementation of the Provincial ODT Hub and Spoke model is ongoing. ODT Hubs have been established in St. John’s, Gander and Corner Brook. Hubs will also be established in Grand Falls-Windsor, Stephenville and Happy Valley-Goose Bay.
- The new hub and spoke ODT model, including the Provincial Centre of Excellence for ODT and the Provincial Harm Reduction Collective, will provide opportunities for nurse practitioners and physicians to come together for continuing medical education, consultation and mentorship in addictions medicine.
What We’ve Accomplished:
Community Groups Selected for Phase One of Multi-Year Funding
Primary Health Care Team Creating Positive Change on the Burin Peninsula
Wait List for Mental Health and Addictions Counselling Services Eliminated in Happy Valley-Goose Bay
Therapy Assistance Online Expanded Province-wide
Opioid Dependency Treatment Clinic to be Offered on Bell Island