It seems so simple. So basic of an idea that you wonder why it has not been implemented yet.
It is involuntary care.
As communities across the province grapple with street disorder and a sense of insecurity, involuntary care is seen by many as a solution. Politicians of all stripes have offered it up to concerned residents and businesses as a path forward.
The problem is it is unlikely to be what people are expecting. The expectation is that it will be a panacea; the reality will be quite different.
100%. And if we’re actually trying to keep these folks from relapsing we need additional supports past the acute detox stage. Additional essential care (low cost/free food, clothing, health insurance, etc.) mental health supports, OT supports because adulting is fucking hard, and social supports.
In my area, we’ve lost a huge number of our free/low cost third spaces, which isolates the folks who need that social safety net the most. It also means the spaces available that don’t involve alcohol, which can be a gateway back to other substances, are dwindling.
Anyway, we can’t just release people into the world and go “you’re cured!” There’s a reason they turned to substance use in the first place.