This photo of the Options Okanagan Treatment Centre in Kelowna is similar to a second building it hopes to build in order to expand its treatment facilities in the city.
Image Credit: Options Okanagan Treatment Centre
December 30, 2019 - 2:16 PM
One of two private drug and alcohol rehabilitation companies in Kelowna wants to add a second building in order to almost double its operations.
The Options Okanagan Treatment Centre has two facilities in the region – one in Salmon Arm and one in Kelowna's Glenmore neighbourhood. It wants to build a second nine-bed facility next to its existing Glenmore operation.
A development permit application for the facility was submitted to City Hall recently.
“The purpose of this proposed development is to treat individuals suffering from drug and alcohol addiction in a pastoral farm setting, within a facility that is smaller and more like a home than an institution,” the application from Colbee Holdings Care Facility states.
“We currently have one successful building on this property that is utilized for the same purpose. Unfortunately, there is a real need for more space within this operation, and our tenant, Options Okanagan, intends to expand their programming into this new building.”
The existing treatment centre has 10 beds and has operated for the past four years, program director Susie Golemba, told iNFO.news.ca.
The plans submitted to the City show a two-storey home with a basement that will provide almost 11,000 square feet of living space, including nine bedrooms, two treatment rooms and a caretaker’s suite on the second floor.
It’s hoped that the new building can be opened by the end of 2020.
Options Okanagan Treatment Centre is one of two privately run facilities in Kelowna, Golemba said. It’s been full all year but as each program is individually designed, the waiting list is only for a week or two at most.
As a privately run facility, it fees start at $12,900 for 30 days of treatment.
“It would be really nice if the government would throw a bit of money into private treatment,” she said. “Even to pay a portion of it would really help because not everybody can afford private treatment.”
She said that given her experience, private treatment is more effective than publicly funded options and there is a growing need for treatment. The government does not appear to have any plans to expand publicly funded treatment options in Kelowna.
The publicly funded Bridge Youth and Family Services has lobbied the province for more funding and is currently on a fundraising campaign to build a 16-bed youth recovery facility. The other private facility in Kelowna is Valiant Recovery.
More on Options Okanagan's treatment programs can be seen here.
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