Alberta refining licensing requirements for addiction treatment providers

The Alberta government plans to change and refine provincial licensing requirements for addictions services and treatment.

The Mental Health Services Protection Act tabled Tuesday in the Legislature will define three types of bed-based addiction treatment services, including withdrawal management and intensive treatment.

Services for bed-based addiction treatment, narcotic transition, drug consumption and psychedelic drug treatment are currently licensed under the act, the province said.

Mental Health and Addictions Minister Dan Williams said each service will have specific licensing requirements that service providers must follow if the bill is passed.

He says moving away from the province’s current one-size-fits-all approach to licensing will allow the government to address complex situations.

The government said the legislation would also give the minister the ability to exempt specific people or service providers from the requirements in certain cases, “such as for medical reasons, scientific research, or when there’s a clear public benefit.”

Williams said the bill would also change the name of supervised consumption services to drug consumption services.

If passed, the province said the amendments would come into effect in fall 2025.

— With files from Karen Bartko, Global News