Council has approved $450,000 in new City investments for mental health and addictions – leveraging an additional $550,000 from partners - aligned with recommendations from the Mayor’s Task Force on Mental Health and Addictions’ Final Report. The new funding focuses on mental health support, harm reduction, drug prevention and treatment and includes:
Mayor Robertson will support investments aligned with recommendations from the Mayor’s Task Force on Mental Health and Addictions’ Final Report, to be presented to Council Tuesday. The new funding - approximately $450,000 from the City that leverages another $550,000 from partners - focuses on mental health support, harm reduction, drug prevention and treatment and includes:
Today Vancouver City Council approved additional support for front-line workers battling the fentanyl opioid crisis: $220,000 to support harm reduction measures to prevent overdose deaths in Single Room Occupancy (SRO) hotels and shelters, and $150,000 for mental health training and support for first responders.
The City is bringing forward additional measures to support front-line workers battling the fentanyl opioid crisis. This includes $220,000 that will support harm reduction to prevent overdose deaths in Single Room Occupancy (SRO) hotels and shelters, where a quarter of overdose deaths occur; an additional $150,000 is allocated for mental health training and support for first responders.
I am saddened and horrified by yesterday’s attack in a Quebec City mosque, and join the Muslim community’s shock and disbelief by this desecration. This baseless attack affects us all in Vancouver as we strive to be a beacon of diversity and inclusion. We have to keep speaking up against intolerance and hatred.
Today, Vancouver City Council approved the first round of new investments out of $3.5 million allocated to address the fentanyl opioid crisis. The new funding comes on the heels of new data from Vancouver Coastal Health showing Vancouver had the highest number (215) and highest rate of deaths of all BC cities in 2016.