Dear [NTD: insert name],
It’s time our provincial government step up and support people who are struggling with opioid-related addiction. Despite the hundreds of thousands of Ontarians suffering, only a small percentage are receiving the treatment and support they need. As a constituent, I am deeply concerned.
This has become the defining crisis of our time. Its effects are rippling across communities, affecting our families, friends, neighbours, and colleagues. Disproportionately, the opioid crisis is also impacting our workers and young people – the future of Ontario’s workforce needs our help now.
That’s why I’m proud to support One Step Forward: An Alliance for Advancing Recovery. Informed by health workers, pharmaceutical experts, first responders, and union leaders, the Alliance is making four recommendations that would help put more people on a path of active recovery. These recommendations include:
- Establishing a cross-ministry emergency task force to coordinate efforts across ministries. The task force should draw from experts in ministries impacted by the crisis – including health, mental health and addictions, labour, corrections and housing.
- Funding and launching a new virtual program to connect more people to timely treatment and supports. The Virtual Opioid Addiction Treatment Service would enable same-day treatment and function as a provider of and connector to care and support.
- Reforming current compensation and funding models for addiction care to ensure a patient-centered approach. The way we fund the delivery of opioid treatment and compensate those professionals delivering it hasn’t kept up with the pace of innovation.
- Empowering pharmacists to play a greater role in treating people suffering from opioid use disorder. Ontario should amend the Pharmacy Regulations by updating the list to permit the administration of therapies approved by Health Canada since 2019.
This crisis is taking place across our province and is not confined to urban centres. Every elected official carries a responsibility to address the defining public health crisis of our time. In 2022, [INSERT NUMBER] people died from opioid-related causes in [INSERT COMMUNITY]. We owe it to them to do better.
Ontarians deserve a comprehensive approach to recovery that prioritizes choice and access to treatment. As my local MPP and representative at Queen’s Park, I hope to count on your support and advocacy.
Ontario is yours to recover.
Sincerely,
NAME
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