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Alberta’s chief addiction and mental health officer is concerned about a lack of experts in the government’s health department after being told his contract will not be renewed at the end of the month, making him the second high-profile provincial physician to vacate his post this year.

“It’s useful to have experts on the inside of a ministry and I have concern that there may not be enough real experts on the inside of Alberta Health when it comes to addiction and mental health,” said Dr. Michael Trew, a psychiatrist for 33 years, on Thursday.

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Trew was appointed to the position by the Progressive Conservative government a week after southern Alberta was hit with catastrophic floods in June 2013 to provide psychological and social assistance to flood victims.

Trew’s contract was renewed last year even though most of the flood-oriented work was done, he said. He thought the vision and scope of his job had expanded. Trew spoke publicly about suicide prevention, including the number of deaths on the High Level Bridge in Edmonton, and harm reduction issues related to fentanyl, naloxone and methadone.