NDP leader promises funding for MSP
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This article was published 07/08/2019 (2341 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
NDP leader Wab Kinew is saying he will take immediate action to address the meth crisis in Manitoba.
On July 30, Kinew announced his plans to implement the Main Street Project’s Meth Integrated Response Model. The plans include building a detox, treatment, and transitional housing facility for Manitobans dealing with addictions. If elected, he said he would implement the plan within the first 100 days of his government.
“We have heard loud and clear, whether community organizations that patrol the streets in this area like the Mama Bear Clan, whether it’s community leaders, like the mayor of Winnipeg, like the chief of police, like many other people in prominent positions, that there is a desperate and urgent need,” he said at the announcement. “We have seen a lack of action for too long, and we know that this is the first of many steps that we need to take to get a handle on the addictions crisis in Manitoba.”
“There is a need to bring more mental health, health care and addictions resources to the front lines of this struggle against addictions, so that law enforcement can go back to doing what they do best, which is keeping us safe, so that doctors in emergency rooms can go back to practising emergency medicine.”
He promised a $1.5-million investment for MSP proposal and $2 million annually in operating funds.
“What we are proposing with this plan is to locate more mental health and addictions supports here at MSP so that we don’t have to burden emergency rooms.”
The model is a longer-term and integrated treatment approach that leverages detoxification, stabilization, and residential treatment for up to one year. After that, the plan is followed by post-treatment supports, with immediate supports if relapse occurs.
The plan also suggests repurposing MSP’s Protective Care beds to accommodate clients who are detained while high on meth to reduce pressure on emergency rooms; building meth-specific beds within MSP’s
Detoxification and Stabilization Units where clients would stay in detox for at least 10 days; Building long-term meth treatment beds within MSP’s Mainstay Residence where clients would remain in treatment between 90 to 365 days and have access to a nurse practitioner, psychologists, and cognitive behavioural therapy; and working with community supports to transition clients from long-term treatment to transitional housing where clients would be paired with services to aid them in accessing housing, education, work and family supports.
Talh East, director of detoxification and stabilization at Main Street Project said there are no facilities like theirs that can deal with meth the way they have chosen to do based on global evidence.
“Meth treatments or recovery does not work on 30, 60, or 90 days. Meth detox takes much longer than that,” she said.