Delegates from Saskatchewan's urban municipalities gathered in Saskatoon and urged the Saskatchewan government to stop transferring mental health and addiction support services to municipalities..During a Monday speech, Premier Scott Moe highlighted the establishment of urgent care centres in Regina and Saskatoon, with an intake for mental health and addictions only..“We need an intake where we have folks that will take them, will most certainly place them in front of the healthcare professional they need at that particular time, and that’s what those urgent care centres are going to provide, that initial intake,” said Moe..Saskatoon Mayor Charlie Clark said establishing urgent care centres is a “step in the right direction.”.Clark stressed the need for supportive housing options for vulnerable residents..“If somebody goes to get stabilized, in order to get into the treatment beds when they’re released from the treatment, they need supportive housing to go to. We are calling for 100 complex needs housing beds in Saskatoon alone.”.Moe acknowledged the need for further investment in mental health and addictions, but said the Saskatchewan government focuses on rehabilitation and access to services. Moe noted that's a problem in every province in Canada..Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association (SUMA) President Randy Goulden said it is “not the responsibility of municipalities” to provide mental health and addiction support..“That’s a responsibility of provincial and federal governments, yet we’re finding more and more we have to provide this to our residents. So that’s one of the resolutions,” said Goulden..“I’d really like to sit down with him, and not just me. We have 441 members of SUMA. What do they see the need is in their communities?”.The 2023 SUMA convention finishes on Wednesday.
