Both the President of Addiction Ontario, Deborah Gatenby and the President of the Ontario Federation of Community Mental Health and Addiction Programs, Jon Thompson would like to share some exciting news with you that will impact all organizations working within the Addiction and Mental Health sector.

On Thursday October 23rd, members of Ontario’s new Liberal cabinet were sworn into office by Premier Dalton McGuinty.

The cabinet was reduced from 28 members to 22 that held titles during the last session at Queen’s Park, many of them familiar faces from the previous cabinet. McGuinty promised a smaller cabinet after the Liberals lost four former ministers in the October election and fell to 53 seats from 72.

The Liberals have said the cabinet has the experience Ontario needs during an uncertain global economy.

On October 13 and 14, steering committee and working group members of each of the Ontario Drug Treatment Funding Program Systems Projects met at the Delta Chelsea Hotel to attend the Drug Treatment Funding Program (DTFP) Launch.

The Launch provided steering committee and working groups members the opportunity to discuss the DTFP initiative, and learn about individual systems projects.

Some of the highlights from the Launch included:

A landmark decision by the Supreme Court of Canada this morning overrode federal objections to a controversial supervised drug injection clinic in Vancouver, and ordered that it remain open.

Toronto, September 28, 2011: The Ontario Federation of Community Mental Health and Addiction Programs (OFCMHAP) is questioning political parties on the whereabouts of a housing strategy in the upcoming provincial election. OFCMHAP is urging all political party candidates and the next government of Ontario through its provincial housing election strategy, "A Doorway to Success: Housing with Supports” to make a commitment to housing, in particular housing with supports for people with mental health and addiction issues.

As many of you are aware, the Ontario Federation of Community Mental Health and Addictions Programs (OFCMHAP) has received funding from Health Canada through Ontario from the Drug Treatment Funding Program (DTFP) to undertake an evaluation of Addiction Supportive Housing in Ontario. Addictions Ontario has also received funding to carry out an evaluation of Addiction Residential Support Services.

The Ontario Mental Health and Addictions Alliance is launching a new election engagement campaign. As part of this campaign, the Alliance’s website now features new tools and resources to engage voters and concerned organizations.

The government of Ontario has appointed a Commission to review social assistance programs across the province. The Commission is mandated to carry out a comprehensive review, and provide specific recommendations, as well as an action plan for reforming social support programs by June 2012. This review has resulted through a need to address the inadequacies of Ontario’s social assistance programs, in an effort to minimize the significant challenges that people receiving income support experience.

 The Commission is being led by:

Updated As of August 29, 2011

The Ontario Federation of Community Mental Health and Addiction Programs is pleased to announce a Request for Services (RFS) for the Supportive Housing Evaluation Project.

In the 2008 budget, the Government committed to 1,000 new units of supportive housing for people with problematic substance use to be implemented over the next two years. The funding includes rent supplements and support services.