16 withdrawal management beds (detox) created  in three communities. (Kelowna, Williams Lake, Castlegar)

“Withdrawal management beds help individuals take the first necessary step towards recovery,” said Health Minister Terry Lake. “These beds provide individual support to help minimize the negative physical and psychological effects of withdrawal from alcohol and other drugs. It puts them on the road to recovery, helping new possibilities to become a reality.”

These 16 withdrawal management beds are the first of their kind for the communities they will be located in and will support adults and youth through the early stages of withdrawal from alcohol and/or other substances. Of the 16 new beds, four will be dedicated to providing support for youth aged 18 years and younger.

“Our priority is to have withdrawal management beds open as soon as possible,” said IH Board Chair John O’Fee. “They are a critical support for adult and youth clients within our mental health and substance use strategy, which focuses on our desire to shift services away from hospitals and towards care being provided in the community.”

These 16 withdrawal management beds are part of IH’s commitment to create 73 new substance use treatment beds, including 57 support recovery beds. They’re also part of the Province’s commitment to add 500 additional substance use spaces throughout British Columbia. More than 300 new substance-use beds have already been opened in the past three years, and the remainder will be online by March 31, 2017.