OTTAWA, ON, Sept. 26, 2024
New series of guidance and resources promote equitable access to quality care for all
OTTAWA, ON, Sept. 26, 2024 /CNW/ - Everyone in Canada deserves a health system that provides each of us with access to the services we need, when and where we need them. The availability and types of mental health and substance use supports can vary across Canada, which can lead to inconsistencies in quality and accessibility.
Advertisement
To help address this challenge, Health Canada commissioned the Standards Council of Canada to coordinate the development of a series of guidelines and resources to promote better understanding, alignment, and integration among mental health and substance use health care providers throughout the country.
Advertisement
These resources include:
This work can inform better care for people across Canada by promoting evidence-based approaches across key mental health and substance use health issues. Recognizing that the delivery of health care is primarily the responsibility of provinces and territories, this work offers mental health and substance use health care providers a collection of principles, guidance, and best practices that they can refer to, learn from, and put into action.
It will also help guide federal actions in support of positive mental health and substance use health in the future; reduce barriers to care; and address limited front-line workforce capacity.
Hundreds of Canadians contributed their energy and expertise to this initiative, including people with lived and living experience, Indigenous peoples, clinical experts, service providers, community organizations, family and peer advocates, academics, and more. Health Canada would like to thank everyone who contributed to this important body of work with a special acknowledgement to the Co-Chairs of the Steering Committee, Dr. Carol Hopkins and Dr. Brian Rush, for their leadership and wisdom, which guided this process.
Quotes
"Canadians deserve a health system they can depend on and that provides access to quality and consistent mental health and substance use supports that meet their needs. Today, by publishing this series of guidelines and resources, we have taken an important step towards developing national standards to help to make excellent and equitable mental health and substance use health care the norm all across the country."
The Honourable Ya'ara SaksAssociate Minister of Health and Minister of Mental Health and Addiction
"We are pleased to have worked with Health Canada to advance the development of these standards-based solutions to improve the delivery of mental health and substance use services. Standards and conformity assessment work behind the scenes to make life safer, healthier, and more sustainable for Canadians and around the world. They are powerful tools that can help address challenges from the interoperability of technology to the delivery of services. These standards-based solutions offer a foundation for mental health and substance use services to ensure that people across Canada can access quality services in their time of need."
Chantal GuayChief Executive Officer of the Standards Council of Canada
Quick Facts
Associated Links
SOURCE Health Canada (HC)
