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MP Larry Bagnell and Minister Frost Sign Bilateral Agreement to Tackle Overdose Crisis

Monday, 17 December 2018 12:44

Minister Frost and MP Larry Bagnell holding the signed agreement.

The agreement will provide $945,000 for Yukoners seeking treatment services for substance use disorders.

MP Larry Bagnell and Minister of Health and Social Services Pauline Frost signed a bilateral agreement this morning on behalf of the Yukon and Federal Governments to provide $945,000 for Yukoners seeking treatment services for substance use disorders.

$500,000 will be supplied by the Federal Government while just over $445,000 will come from the Yukon Government, and the money will provide enhanced social work and mental health services for Yukoners, more non-opioid prescription treatment services like methadone for those seeking services, and a full-time mental health nurse specializing in opioid treatment to help battle the overdose crisis.

Bagnell says he's proud both levels of government can come together to tackle the issue.

"The Government of Canada is committed to working with the provinces and territories, with stakeholders such as Blood Ties, and Four Directions, the chief medical health officer of Yukon, the health care community, Indigenous organizations, and people with lived and living experiences to address substance abuse issues in Canada. I'm proud that our governments are working together and taking action on on harm-reduction measures and on prevention."

The bilateral agreement funding is coming from Canada's $150 million Emergency Treatment Fund in the Federal Government's 2018 budget, and Minister Frost says additional funding separate from today's announcement is being given by the Yukon Government to tackle the opioid crisis.

"Going forward, the Government of Yukon is committed in investing $550,000 per year in support of Yukon's opioid action plan. This funding is in addition to today's announcement. We have in total one million and fifty-thousand dollars that will be contributing in this Opioid Action Strategy that was released last week."

The Opioid Action Strategy focuses on harm reduction, drug awareness, surveillance among other strategies around opioid usage in the Yukon.

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