Vernon, Kelowna to benefit from substance use treatment expansion

New substance use treatment spaces and supports are coming to the Interior, including some support in Vernon and several new spaces in Kelowna.

In partnership with Interior Health, the province is expanding addictions care services in the region by adding 35 new bed; including 20 treatment beds, 14 transition and stabilization beds, and one new withdrawal-management bed.

Of those new spaces, seven adult women’s treatment beds and two adult women’s stabilization/transition beds are being added in Kelowna. They will be operated by Bridge Youth and Family Services and are expected to open in late September.

A majority of the spaces will go to Kamloops and be operated by New Tomorrow Treatment Solutions. Those include seven adult men’s treatment beds, six adult women’s treatment beds, and seven adult stabilization/transition to active care beds.

The Lillooet Friendship Society will have five of the new stabilization beds, while William Lake’s AXIS – Renner House will receive the new withdrawal-management bed.

Treatment beds offer live-in intensive treatment that range from 30 to 90 days and provides clinical supports such as assessment and counseling, psycho-social education and skills training, while the transition and stabilization spaces provide people with complex substance-use challenges who need critical support following withdrawal-management.

“By creating new treatment and recovery spaces, we’re connecting more people to the life-saving resources they need throughout the Interior,” said Sheila Malcolmson, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions.

“We’re tackling the toxic drug crisis from all sides with unprecedented investments in mental-health and addictions supports across the spectrum of prevention, treatment, recovery and harm reduction.”

These new spaces are intended to supplement the Virtual Addiction Medicine Clinic operated at Kelowna Mental Health and Substance Use, which provides virtual addiction medicine services throughout the region.

Additionally, there will be new outpatient withdrawal-management teams available in Vernon, Kelowna, Penticton and Kamloops. The brand-new service will enable patients to receive care, including the prescribing of medications, in their own home.

“As we continue to develop our substance-use care continuum, the value of these new beds can’t be understated. Having a safe, welcoming place to call home at a pivotal period in an individual’s wellness journey can make a tremendous difference,” said Susan Brown, president and CEO, Interior Health.

“We are pleased to further expand access to treatment in facilities for those clients who have not met their goals with other less intensive forms of treatment.”