'Help them get their lives back': Alberta police to offer addiction treatment access in jails
Police officers in Alberta will now be able to offer immediate access to addiction treatment when they arrest someone.
The leaders of the Edmonton Police Service, Calgary Police Service and the Alberta RCMP joined a provincial associate minister in Edmonton Thursday to make the announcement.
"Albertans must still be held accountable for their actions, but we can also treat addiction as a health-care issue at the same time," said Mike Ellis, associate minister of mental health and addictions.
"The recovery-oriented system of care we’re building is about ensuring Albertans across multiple systems have access to evidence-based treatment options when and where they need them."
Officers will work with paramedics to connect people wanting treatment to doctors and provincial treatment programs.
Ellis and the police officials didn't have any exact figures of how many people detained in municipal jails also have a drug addiction.
"Let's just say lots. By far the majority have substance issues, for sure," McFee said.
"If we didn't have this, people are just on this remand and release cycle.They go in, they come out. This gives the opportunity for a medical health professional…to give these folks hope and help them get their lives back."
"Effective addiction treatment in municipal jails will relieve suffering and provide, to those who choose it, treatment that will improve their outcomes and support healing," said Dr. Nathaniel Day, with Alberta Health Services.
'HIGH RISK OF COERCION'
But the plan was criticized by some who feel the police are already tasked with providing too many services to vulnerable people, when officers often don't have specialized training in that work.
One person concerned about that is an Edmonton family doctor and associate professor at the University of Alberta.
"By nature, being in police custody is a state where people are at high risk of coercion. So, all notion of free and informed consent for addiction treatment kind of gets thrown out of the window, unfortunately," Dr. Ginetta Salvalaggio told CTV News Edmonton.
"I do have concern about harm to people with respect to them not giving their true consent."
Salvalaggio, who is also a member of a local opioid poisoning committee, said people with addictions are more likely to take advice from people they trust and have formed a relationship with.
She said traditional health professionals and staff at supervised consumption sites, for example, are better trained to help.
"Unless you are developing a relationship with a person over time, having a conversation about the next steps is much more difficult," she said.
Ellis recently announced the province will be offering a monthly injection of Sublocade, free of charge, to people seeking help with opioid addiction.
The province is also striking a bipartisan committee to study the issue of "safe supply" services.
Albertans wanting to access Sublocade can call 1-844-383-7688 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m every day. People with addictions are also being encouraged to download the province's app called the Digital Overdose Response System (DORS).
From January until the end of August 2021, 1,026 Albertans died of a drug overdose, according to provincial data.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Supreme Court says expanded rape shield laws are constitutional
The Supreme Court of Canada says the expanded rules to further prevent a sexual assault complainant's past from being used against them in a trial are 'constitutional in their entirety.'

Poilievre joins soldier protesting COVID-19 mandates in march through Ottawa ahead of Canada Day
Canadian Forces veteran James Topp was joined by Conservative Party leadership candidate Pierre Poilievre on his march through Ottawa today, as part of the final leg of his cross-country march to protest COVID-19 vaccine requirements.
Snowbirds cancel Canada Day fly-over in Ottawa
The traditional Canada Day fly-past over Ottawa by the Canadian Forces Snowbirds has been cancelled, following a problem with the aircraft's emergency ejection parachute that grounded the fleet.
More Canadian troops headed to Latvia, Trudeau says at NATO summit
Canada will be sending more troops to Latvia as part of a pledge to upgrade and strengthen the NATO battlegroup it is leading there, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Thursday.
Missing luggage has become flight passengers’ latest headache amid flight delays
Exasperating delays at airports are increasing claims of lost or missing baggage, which one aviation expert blames on staff shortages.
'What were they waiting for?' Woman inside Saanich bank amid shootout describes 'calm' gunmen
A woman who was trapped inside a bank during a robbery and fatal shootout with police near Victoria on Tuesday says there is one question still plaguing her a day later: Why didn't the gunmen just leave with the money?
Nutrition warnings coming to the front of pre-packaged food in Canada
Canada will require that companies add nutrition warnings to the front of pre-packaged food with high levels of saturated fat, sugar or sodium in an effort to help grocery shoppers make healthier choices with just a glance.
What your Canada Day BBQ will cost with hot inflation
The Canada Day long weekend is the perfect time for burgers on the grill, cold drinks and time with family and friends. Yet a backyard barbecue comes with a bigger price tag this year as food prices soared 9.7 per cent in May.
WHO: COVID-19 cases rising nearly everywhere in the world
The number of new coronavirus cases rose by 18 per cent in the last week, with more than 4.1 million cases reported globally, according to the World Health Organization.