The Completion of All 54 Recommendations in the Towards Recovery Action Plan Highlighted at Forum

Press Release

March 10, 2023

The implementation of the recommendations of Towards Recovery: The Mental Health and Addictions Action Plan for Newfoundland and Labrador continues to transform the mental health and addictions system in the province to one that is person-centred, recovery-focused and provides the right care, at the right time, closer to home.

This week in St. John’s, a two-day forum was held where more than 100 people came together to share their personal stories and experiences with mental health and addictions. This included people and families with lived and living experience, community partners, members from the Towards Recovery Advisory and Recovery Councils and Indigenous Health Team, and staff from the regional health authorities. A highlight of this year’s forum was an update on the accomplishments of the Towards Recovery: The Mental Health and Addictions Action Plan and completion of all 54 recommendations.

Since announcing the five-year plan in 2017, the Provincial Government has created new infrastructure; a provincial stepped care model; as well as several new programs and services, including supports for people with long-term mental illness; e-mental health and virtual care services; improved access to opioid dependence treatment; and transitioned the responsibility for health services from the justice system. All actions were carried out in partnership with those with lived and living experience.

Some of the highlights include:

  • Over 1,100 people with complex mental illness have been served by a total of 15 Assertive Community Treatment Teams and Flexible Assertive Community Treatment Teams across the province;
  • Doorways counselling walk-in clinics were expanded to a total of 66 locations, with 43,000 visits since 2017;
  • More than 8,500 mobile crisis response team visits have taken place since 2017;
  • Since March 2018, there have been almost 350,000 sessions on Bridge the gapp with an average of 6,500 unique users monthly; and,
  • Approximately 6,300 families referred to Strongest Families Institute with 100 per cent rating the service excellent/very good and 99 per cent confirming they learned useful techniques.

Government recognizes there is still more work to be done and continues to build upon the Towards Recovery work through the Provincial Alcohol Action Plan: Reducing Harms and Costs in Newfoundland and Labrador and Our Path of Resilience: An Action Plan to Promote Life and Prevent Suicide in Newfoundland and Labrador.

The Towards Recovery final evaluation report is expected to be released in the coming weeks.

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“Implementing all 54 Towards Recovery recommendations is a testament to our government’s commitment to improving mental health and addictions services for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. I commend the work of all the staff, communities, advocates, providers, and persons with lived experience who partnered with us to ensure that we fulfilled the recommendations, as well as the All-Party commitment to advancing the plan. I also want to thank the participants of this year’s Recovery Forum. Their courage to come forward and share their narratives is crucial to the ongoing, valuable work on mental health and addictions.”

Honourable Tom Osborne
Minister of Health and Community Services

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Learn more
Towards Recovery: The Mental Health and Addictions Action Plan for Newfoundland and Labrador

Provincial Alcohol Action Plan: Reducing Harms and Costs in Newfoundland and Labrador

Our Path of Resilience: An Action Plan to Promote Life and Prevent Suicide in Newfoundland and Labrador

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