Jess Ketchum, co-founder of Save Our Streets (SOS)
BRITISH COLUMBIA – With addictions and mental illnesses fueling a significant portion of British Columbia’s crime and street disorder, veteran journalist and politician Carole Taylor will explore the benefits and challenges of implementing a province-wide continuum of care with three leading addiction experts at the Save Our Streets Communities Driving Change Forum on January 23.
Joining Taylor on the Prescription for a Continuum of Care: Addictions and Mental Illnesses panel will be Dr. Pouya Azar, Head of Complex Pain Coastal Health Service, Vancouver Coastal Health, Dr. Nickie Mathew, an addiction and forensic psychiatrist, and Marshall Smith, the Vice President of Rubicon Strategy and former Chief of Staff to the Premier of Alberta.
Recent additions to the Forum agenda include a keynote address by Marshall Smith that will precede the addictions panel and an address by Conservative Party of BC Leader John Rustad that will kick-off the afternoon session. SOS has also invited a representative from the Province of BC to speak at the Forum.
To say Marshall Smith is uniquely qualified to speak to the issues of addictions and mental illnesses is a significant understatement. His journey has seen him serve as a senior staff member for a BC Cabinet Minister before sinking into the depths of addiction and living in and out of dumpsters in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. His obvious tenacity, and the encouragement of a kind VPD officer contributed to his detoxing and recovery and transition to advocating on behalf of others. Smith recently completed a meteoric rise through the government ranks in Alberta, where he served as Chief of Staff to Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and the architect of a new recovery-focused system of responding to the issues of addictions and mental illnesses.
As the host of her television show, Carole Taylor’s Journal, Taylor continues to cover major issues in Canadian society and examine the story behind the headlines with high-profile guests that includes retailers, mayors, judges and policy experts on issues such as public safety, safe supply, law and order, youth, housing and much more.
“I want to thank Carole Taylor and our addictions and mental health panelists for helping us explore these critical issues,” says Jess Ketchum, Co-founder, SOS. “While a comprehensive continuum of care seems broadly supported, it is a practical commitment that is lacking as a standard across the province. This panel will explore the essential elements of a potential province-wide continuum of care, from assessment through treatment and recovery. As Marshall’s life has clearly demonstrated, there’s no question that the transition from suffering an addiction illness to a healthy and productive member of society is possible.”
The day-long Communities Driving Change Forum at the Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue in Vancouver will feature four professionally moderated, non-partisan and future-focused panel discussions on the justice system, housing, policing and addictions and mental illnesses (See agenda below). Recognizing the need for possible new approaches, greater collaboration and informed decision making when it comes to addressing these decades-old issues, SOS has assembled an extraordinary group of subject matter experts, each with extensive experience and expertise in their fields.
For more information about SOS and the Communities Driving Change Forum, please visit SaveOurStreets.ca.
To register, please visit the Forum registration link.
Jess Ketchum is Co-founder, SOS
