The Valuing Mental Health Advisory Committee is chaired by the Deputy Minister of Health, and provides consultation based on expertise and advice to the Valuing Mental Health Ministerial Executive Steering Committee.

Members represent interests from across the continuum of care (health promotion, illness, prevention, primary care, treatment, recovery) in substance use and misuse, mental health and mental illness and concurrent disorders.  Membership includes cross-ministry representatives, service providers, health Professions, community partners, persons with lived experience, and indigenous representatives. CRPNA is represented on this committee by Executive Director, Barbara Lowe. 

Priorities were identified by the Advisory Committee of the 24 recommendations; the following three recommendations were ranked most highly (based on the frequency of its selection, level of feasibility and level of impact):

Improve and Increase Promotion, Prevention, Early Detection and Intervention

1. Increase earlier access to Addiction and Mental Health services through primary care.

2. Improve mental health and educational outcomes for children and youth.

Improve System Effectiveness and Efficiency

3. Improve services, optimize efficiencies in providing training, and build relationships through the Government of Alberta, Alberta Health Services, First Nations, Métis and Inuit people and communities, and non-government organizations collaborating to provide training.

The Valuing Mental Health Report identifies addiction and mental health as a cross-ministry priority and affirms the Government of Alberta’s responsibility to coordinate this unprecedented effort to support the addiction and mental health needs of Albertans through an integrated approach that establishes shared goals and measures. Successfully tackling the complex interplay of factors that contribute to addiction and mental health issues requires action by multiple ministries, service providers and community agencies.