Will the B.C. NDP’s reversal on involuntary care move the needle on treatment?

published on September 16, 2024 by Alec Lazenby in Vancouver Sun

A day after Premier David Eby announced a re-elected NDP government would explore an expansion of involuntary care for people with several mental health and addictions issues, some drug user advocates and addiction researchers say not enough has been done to provide care for those willing to participate.

They also argue that involuntary care does not cure addictions and will simply create worse outcomes for people, leaving them more vulnerable to the toxic supply of street drugs in the province.

The Ministry of Mental Health and Addiction’s most recent figures shows the province has added 659 substance-use treatment beds since 2017, bringing the total to 3,645.

Despite that, incomplete ministry figures show the average waiting time for somebody to voluntarily get into treatment is 35 days, with a target to get that down to 30 days by 2027. Advocates say that means it will be years before the province is able to provide help when and where people need it…