Island Health says it has secured a location for a six-bed detox facility near North Island Hospital’s Campbell River location that it plans to open in the fall.
The clinic in a renovated house at 731 Nicholls Rd. will be Island Health’s first community-based medical detox facility north of Nanaimo.
The health authority says it will offer medical care and oversight in a secure environment for those withdrawing from use of alcohol and drugs, noting many individuals undergoing detox do not need to be admitted to a hospital but do need support and medical supervision.
The centre will be staffed around the clock seven days a week, with oversight by physicians and nurses.
It’s modelled on the Clearview Detox Centre in Nanaimo, which has been operating since 2009 in a residential neighbourhood.
The Campbell River detox centre will offer stays averaging three to 10 days followed by a co-ordinated transfer to other supports in the community or at home, with transportation to and from the detox service provided if required.
Dr. Charmaine Enns, Island Health medical health officer for the North Island, said locally available detox is a “crucial part” of substance-use services amid the ongoing substance-use crisis.
Mental Health and Addictions Minister Jennifer Whiteside said in a statement that the new detox facility is part of bringing B.C.’s so-called Road to Recovery model to people in central and northern Vancouver Island.
The Road to Recovery program aims to offer seamless services through each stage of detox and recovery.
Once it’s fully implemented, clients should be able to access the program through a central location and receive same-day clinical assessments and care, and be matched to appropriate services, as well as connections to ongoing health and social supports.
