News Releases

New resources that provide information about the new centralized intake service for youth, addictions services and supports available to Manitobans, and the new Youth Drug Stabilization (Support for Parents) Act were released today by Healthy Living Minister Kerri Irvin-Ross.

 

“We want families and young people to have quick, easy access to information on services available through a centralized process, and on the legislation and what it will and won’t do,” said Irvin-Ross. “Manitobans can use these resources to find information about the legislation and the continuum of addictions services available in the province.”

 

The resource materials include:

·         a booklet with information on youth substance-abuse services available in Manitoba for youth, parents and caregivers;

·         a fact sheet on the Youth Drug Stabilization (Support for Parents) Act to provide youth, parents, caregivers and stakeholder organizations with general information about how the legislation works and how to access services;

·         a guide for parents filling out an application for services that explains the application process, and

·         a website that includes these materials and a resource directory of available Manitoba youth and adult substance abuse services. 

 

The new Centralized Intake – Youth Addictions Service has been created to help families and young people navigate available addictions services and to match youth with the appropriate program.  Two addictions counsellors will help callers find support best suited to their needs in their community.  The addictions counsellors will also be available to help parents who are interested in pursuing an application under the legislation.

 

The Centralized Intake – Youth Addictions Service can be reached toll-free Monday to Friday at
1-877-710-3999.

  

“The centralized intake service and these resources will give youth with serious substance abuse problems and their families access to the help best suited to their needs,” said Irvin-Ross.  “We remain committed to ensuring a full spectrum of services is available for Manitobans to combat the terrible effects of addictions that threaten not only individuals and families, but also our communities.”

 

The Youth Drug Stabilization (Supports for Parents) Act comes into effect on Nov. 1.  To access these resources online, visit http://www.gov.mb.ca/healthyliving/ydsa.html  .

 

 

 

In September 2006, then healthy living minister Theresa Oswald announced a three-year,
$9-million investment to help Manitobans get better access to mental health and addictions services, adding to the $2 million in annual funding announced in Budget 2006 and the
$6.7-million mental health and addictions strategy announced in December 2005.

 

Some of the government’s recent investments in mental health and addictions programs include:

·         centralized youth addictions intake service to improve access to supports for youth and parents;

·         increased community-based mental health and addictions services;

·         more treatment beds for youth and adults;

·         supports for youth stabilization including training and public awareness;

·         funding to improve access to youth addictions programming at the Behavioural Health Foundation;

·         funding for a clinical therapist and a registered nurse for the Behavioural Health Foundation;

·         funding for two new youth outreach positions with the Addictions Foundation of Manitoba, one located in Winnipeg and one in Thompson;

·         investing in a Program of Assertive Community Treatment (PACT) team, the priority of which will be to facilitate the discharge of patients from Selkirk Mental Health Centre who require support in the community;

·         establishing and maintaining a 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week provincial suicide prevention line;

·         providing additional training for health-care staff in suicide prevention;

·         increasing ongoing funding to the Teen Talk program to enhance its work throughout the province;

·         funding for additional staffing for the Winnipeg Early Intervention in Psychosis program;

·         funding to establish an Early Intervention in Mental Illness program in Brandon; and

·         funding to provide additional community mental-health workers in the regional health authorities.

 

The Youth Drug Stabilization (Supports for Parents) Act allows a provincial court justice to issue an order to take a person under 18 years of age to a designated facility for assessment by addiction specialists to determine if it is in the youth’s best interest to be detained for stabilization.