Happy New Year, Calgary Klein!
As we welcome 2020, it’s the perfect time to stop and take a moment to reflect as we say goodbye to 2019.
Edmonton has been filled with long hours both in the house and on the road. My work on the Smoking and Vaping Reduction Task force has been encouraging. Meeting and working together with many Albertans to protect our youth from harm confirms just what a great province we live in. As we wrap up this important review, I am looking forward to being back in the Constituency and more available to the residents of Calgary-Klein.
The holidays can be isolating and at times very difficult time for many, especially for those who struggle with mental health. According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, one in five Canadians suffer from a diagnosable psychiatric disorder. Research confirms that addiction and mental health often go hand in hand. The Alberta Government recognizes the serious nature of mental health and is committed to providing supports and treatment necessary to help Albertans who are suffering. The recently established Mental Health and Addictions Advisory Council’s main focus will be improving access to mental health and addiction services for individuals in need. This mandate will align with the government’s recovery-oriented continuum of care while harm reduction will remain a component of the panel’s approach. The hope is that the panel will produce an overview of pathways individuals can take toward recovery, similar to any other chronic disease like diabetes or cancer.
In addition, with the construction of the new Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health in Calgary, scheduled to open in the fall of 2021, children and youth will be able to get appropriate care in a patient-centered, welcoming environment. This center will meet all treatment needs from a walk-in clinic ready to provide urgent mental health services, to intensive treatment services on the second floor, to a day program on the third floor to support patients transitioning from hospital.
I am looking forward to the new decade ahead and continuing to serve the people of Calgary-Klein.
Jeremy Nixon, MLA Calgary-Klein
