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New substance use beds planned
An additional 73 substance use treatment beds are on their way to communities throughout Interior Health (IH), including eight in the East Kootenay.
The new beds are part of IH’s plan to meet the province’s 500 Substance Use Spaces Initiative and will support and enhance existing substance use treatment services across IH.
“These new beds for Interior Health are part of a large provincial initiative to improve care outcomes for individuals living with substance use challenges,” said Health Minister Terry Lake. “The beds will provide a safe and supportive environment for clients and are part of the province’s commitment to add 500 additional substance use spaces throughout British Columbia by 2017.”
Of the 73 beds, 57 will be support recovery beds providing clients a safe, substance-free setting while they await residential treatment, return from residential treatment or transition to a more stable lifestyle. The remaining 16 beds will be withdrawal management beds (detox) supporting adults (12 beds) and youth (four beds) through the early stages of withdrawal from alcohol and/or other substances.
The beds will be located in several communities throughout IH. The exact locations will be determined through the competitive procurement process:Â
“Improving outcomes for mental health and substance use clients is a top priority for Interior Health,” said IH Board Chair Erwin Malzer. “These additional treatment beds for both adults and youth represent a significant improvement and will help ensure appropriate levels of supports and services are available to those requiring them.”
The first round of the competitive procurement process was posted to the BC Bid website earlier this month for the creation of the 57 support recovery beds which includes four support recovery beds to be provided by an Aboriginal organization. Following a period of evaluation, IH anticipates the contracts will be awarded in summer 2016.
“We’re in the process of building a system to further support mental health and substance use health-care teams across Interior Health,” said IH Mental Health and Substance Use Executive Director David Harrhy. “We currently have 121 substance use treatment beds and the addition of these 73 new beds will allow us to better provide integrated specialized care planning and services in collaboration with clients and their families who have complex substance use issues.”
Overall completion of all 73 beds is anticipated for spring 2017.
IH is focusing its resources on five key strategies, which will shift the system away from hospitals and towards care being provided in a community setting. One of these strategies is directed at improving primary and community care outcomes for mental health and substance use clients.
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