Mental health and recovery care will be officially under its new organization umbrella as of September 1st, according to the latest timeline put out by the provincial government.
As of July 1st Recovery Alberta is expected to be a legal organization and will start working on the transitioning process to be the agency that will provide mental health, addiction and correctional health services that Albertans are or have received through Alberta Health Services. Incoming Chief Executive Officer for the provincial agency Kerry Bales will work over the summer to establish a senior leadership team, and will start working on the process to transition mental health, addiction and correctional health services Albertans are or have received through Alberta Health Services over.
“As Recovery Alberta nears establishment, I am reflecting on all the people who made it possible to create an agency completely dedicated to mental health, addiction and correctional health services,” Bales says. “It will be a landmark moment in our efforts to support Albertans, and I look forward to working with our staff and clinicians across the province to embrace the opportunities this renewed focus brings.”
Minister of Health and Addiction Dan Williams adds the transition will help ensure that Albertans can get access to the best services that are available.
“The establishment of Recovery Alberta and CoRE are the next steps in refocusing our health care system and improving services available to those facing mental health challenges or suffering from addiction,” Williams says.
According to the updated timeline release, the new recovery and mental health agency will help the province better direct resources to areas of need and improve the patient experience with a focus on “care, prevention, intervention, treatment and recovery.” The release continues to add that there will be no changes to current AHS staff transitioning to Recovery Alberta when it comes to their current contracts. As well an agreement in principle was reached to transition registered nurses to Recovery Alberta with the United Nurses of Alberta.
The creation of Recover Alberta and CoRE and transitioning services is a $1.55 billion investment by the province. Part of that funding has been put into virtual engagement sessions for AHS staff and service providers along with upcoming being planned in the coming months for AHS Mental Health and Addiction and Correctional Health Services staff.
