Record Investment in Mental Health and Addictions Services in Budget 2023-24

Released on March 22, 2023

New Investments Focus on Children and Youth, Vulnerable Populations and Addictions Treatment

Increased funding for established programs plus new programming innovations will assist Saskatchewan individuals, children and families impacted by mental health and addictions issues. 

This year's budget will deliver record levels of financial support with an increase of $12.4 million for targeted initiatives for a total $518 million in 2023-24. Of the overall Health budget, 7.5 per cent is directed to fund mental health and addictions initiatives with $438.4 million dedicated to mental health and $79.2 million for addictions.

New funding will focus on delivering new supports for children and youth; added financial support to enhance partnership programs with other human services ministries; and expansion of addictions treatment spaces.

"Ensuring Saskatchewan people have access to the mental health and addictions services they need has been, and continues to be, a priority for our government," Mental Health and Addictions Minister Everett Hindley said. "That is why we are making a record investment of $518 million in mental health and addictions services in Budget 2023-24, with funding for new initiatives that focus on the mental health of children and youth, addressing the needs of vulnerable populations, and adding more addictions treatment spaces so that more people can get the help they need."

The $12.4 million in funding for new, targeted initiatives includes:

• $5.3 million for addictions services and supports for vulnerable populations including:
• $2.3 million to support the second phase of a 150 additional addictions treatment spaces commitment;
• $1.0 million to support the continued actions of the Provincial Drug Task Force such as overdose outreach support teams;
• $900,000 for continuation of the Saskatchewan Health Authority's Opioid Stewardship program;
• $586,000 for housing supports through Phoenix Residential Society;
• $300,000 for the Saskatoon Tribal Council mobile services in Saskatoon and area; and
• $250,000 for a new program to provide grants to community-level peer support groups.
• $3.5 million for new children and youth mental health and addictions supports, including:
• $1.7 million for expansion of the brief counselling program offered by Family Services Saskatchewan to children and youth;
• $1.2 million to partner with the Ministry of Social Services for the operation of three new  residential homes to support youth with significant mental health and addictions issues; 
• $436,000 for Sanctum to support the Prenatal Outreach Resource Team (PORT). This builds on the 2022-23 investment; and
• $160,000 to the SHA improve access for children and youth through a new navigator in northwest Saskatchewan, consultant nurse for psychiatry at Jim Pattison Children's Hospital, and therapist for the Saskatoon Children's centre for children who witness or experience abuse.
• $2.9 million to fund the annualized costs of initiatives commenced in 2022-23, including 14 post-treatment spaces in Estevan operated by St. Joseph’s.
• $640,000 for other mental health initiatives, including:
• $240,000 for expansion of Police and Crisis Team (PACT) to two more provincial locations to be confirmed; and
• $400,000 in additional funding for the University of Regina's Internet-delivered Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (ICB-T) program.

Over $100 million has been provided for targeted mental health and addictions initiatives since 2018-19.

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For more information, contact:

Media
Health
Regina
Phone: 306-787-4083
Email: media@health.gov.sk.ca