The Yukon government has released plans for 14 initial actions from the Substance Use Health Emergency Strategy. Funding ($2.5 million) is available now.

Last Wednesday, the strategy was introduced as a result of a partnership and a shared commitment to the health and well-being of all Yukoners, the government said in a statement Monday.

“Building on this foundation of collaboration and transparency, the Government of Yukon will continue to work closely with partners and the recently-established Yukon First Nations Chiefs Committee on Health to advance and implement the recommendations as well as identify future actions,” the statement said.

The complete strategy contains 43 recommended actions.

“Encompassing all four areas of growth – prevention, harm reduction, treatment and recovery, and community safety and well-being – many of these actions have already seen progress and hold the potential for further advancement through continued collaborative efforts,” the government said.

These are the 14 initial actions:

1. Implement Planet Youth in Yukon communities.

2. Continue to support communities in creating and implementing community wellness plans.

3. Continue to launch communication and educational campaigns addressing substance use and mental wellness issues.

4. Implement a managed alcohol program.

5. Further expand the operating hours of downtown Whitehorse’s supervised consumption site.

6. Further expand access to Opioid Treatment Services, including safer supply and Opioid Agonist Therapy.

7. Ensure the availability of opioid agonist therapy wherever Yukoners seek assistance (partially addressed through the deployment of the Mobile Opioid Treatment Services clinic).

8. Continue to increase support for First Nations to develop and implement land-based mental health and substance use treatment options.

9. Continue to invest in preventing gender-based violence and improving services for victims of crime.

10. Expand frontline support staffing and create more safe and sober housing options for individuals grappling with substance use issues when transitioning from the criminal justice system back into communities.

11. Continue to collaborate with First Nations governments to expand therapeutic courts and other restorative justice approaches in response to substance use-related treatment needs.

12. Keep supporting effective and accountable policing and enforcement responsive to community needs and taking into account the Yukon’s modern treaty environment.

13. Expand the capacity of the Mobile Crisis Response Team (car 867).

14. Increase the government’s capacity to investigate and for civil remedies to disrupt the distribution of toxic illicit drugs and organized crime in the communities.

“As the Substance Use Health Emergency Strategy evolves, the Government of Yukon remains committed to allocating the necessary resources to support the safety of all Yukoners,” the government said.

“This strategy provides a roadmap that will allow us all to continue to respond in a way that promotes the health and well-being of Yukoners.”

As the government “navigates the complexities of the Substance Use Health Emergency, these initial actions reflect our comprehensive approach in helping to ensure the well-being of all Yukoners,” said Tracy-Anne McPhee, the minister of Health and Social Services and Justice.

“Each step we take brings us closer to a community where every individual feels supported and every solution is rooted in care, compassion and collaboration.

“We continue to believe that when you save even one life, you save the world.”