FILE PHOTO - Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Sheila Malcolmson answers questions from the media, Feb. 11, 2021.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/Province of B.C.
December 09, 2021 - 8:00 PM
The provincial government is touting the completion of 105 new publicly funded substance-use treatment and recovery beds that are now are now fully operational across the province, including in Kamloops and the Okanagan.
Through a request for proposals, $13 million was spent to support the 105 beds over three years, which is being administered through the Canadian Mental Health Association in consultation with the province and regional health authorities. As of this week, all 105 beds are now operational across B.C., according to the Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions.
The ASK Wellness Society in Kamloops added 12 new publicly funded recovery beds for adults at the Maverick Motor Inn, which it owns and operates across from Aberdeen, through the request for proposal.
The Penticton Recovery Resource Society added five beds, the Bridge Youth and Family Services added four beds, while the Turning Points Collaborative Society added eight beds.
Separate from the 105-bed initiative, Kamloops also had 10 youth treatment beds added earlier this year at A New Tomorrow Treatment Solutions in North Kamloops.
Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Sheila Malcolmson said the province is committed to ensuring the services aren’t concentrated only in large centres like Vancouver and Victoria.
“The fact that Kamloops got those 10 youth treatment beds earlier this year and then those 12 adult treatment beds is an indication of the need that was identified in Kamloops by Interior Health,” Malcolmson said.
Malcolmson said when the NDP formed government in 2017, it found there were not enough treatment and recovery centres for addictions to meet the demand in B.C.
“We’ve been working really hard in every corner of the province to add more resources so when people do reach out for help to attend to their addiction problem, then they don’t have to wait to get connected with service,” Malcolmson said. “That work is ongoing. We’ve added hundreds of new beds already. We’ve got hundreds more ahead of us.”
The 12 beds were the only ones added in Kamloops. There were four such applications amongst organizations within Interior Health.
In 2020, the provincial government announced an addition of 50 to 70 publicly funded treatment and recovery beds. Malcolmson said that by finding efficiencies, the province has exceeded that goal and has now opened 105 beds across 14 organizations. Of the 105 beds, 47 are new spaces in existing treatment and recovery organizations. The remaining beds were converted from private-pay beds to fully funded public spaces.
Malcolmson said the provincial government is also expanding harm-reduction and medication-assisted treatment programs, providing a prescribed safer drug supply and has applied to Health Canada for the decriminalization of possession of small amounts of illicit drugs for personal use.
— This story was originally published by Kamloops This Week.
News from © iNFOnews, 2021