Pubdate: Sat, 19 Jan 2013
Source: Kamloops Daily News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2013 Kamloops Daily News
Contact:  http://www.kamloopsnews.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/679
Author: Michele Young
Page: 5

NOWHERE TO GO FOR RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT

$1.3-million debt closes centre in Kelowna License

The looming closure of Crossroads Treatment Centre in Kelowna will
leave the whole of Interior Health without any residential addiction
program.

Centre officials announced last week they would have to close the
doors permanently due to a $1.3-million debt and an inability to get
an 85-per-cent funding increase from Interior Health.

IHA came up with a 30-per-cent boost, but that fell short of what was
needed according to Crossroads administration.

Crossroads has eight detox beds and 38 treatment beds. While there are
other types of programs in communities within Interior Health, the
only residential program left was at Crossroads.

Dr. Robert Baker, whose expertise includes addictions, said Friday
treatment for alcohol or drug dependence has never been a priority in
B.C. It's fallen under a variety of ministries, including children and
family, labour and now, health.

"It will leave a serious gap in what is already seriously deficient
service," he said Friday.

People who seek treatment in publicly funded residential programs
still have to pay a per diem, although that can be covered if they're
on welfare or fit another government category.

"For whatever reason, it's been the very poor third cousin of health
care. It gets what's left over," said Baker.

Often it's non-profit organizations like Crossroads or, in Kamloops,
the facility formerly known as Kiwanis House, that have provided the
residential programs.

"They wouldn't delegate cardiac care to a non-profit society," he
said.

Sian Lewis, executive director of the Phoenix Centre detox facility in
Kamloops, said up to one-quarter of her clients come from the Okanagan.

Phoenix has 20 beds, compared with eight at Crossroads.

She expected the Kelowna closure will put more pressure on
Phoenix.

"We are a regional resource," she said.

Something will replace Crossroads, but just what that will be still
hasn't been figured out, said Cliff Cross, Interior Health's mental
health and substance use program director for community
integration.

There are private companies providing residential treatment and IHA
has a number of other programs that could fill some of the gaps, he
said.

Those who need treatment will still get help through Interior Health
through the range of programs available until the consequences of the
Crossroads closure is sorted out.

Interior Health is examining other programs and services being offered
across Canada. Fraser Health has a more mobile service around detox
and treatment that's being considered, Cross said.

One of the main addiction treatment programs IHA offers in Kamloops is
offered through ASK Wellness.

Executive director Bob Hughes said it has 27 beds in apartments
throughout the city. Clients stay for six months and are given help
with life skills, counseling and other help to remain sober and
independent.

Most of those clients were homeless to begin with, he
said.

But for those needing residential treatment programs, his agency has
referred people to Kelowna, Abbotsford, Chilliwack and other parts of
the Lower Mainland.

Residential programs are intense and include medical care along with
counselling, he said.

"But without Crossroads, there is no residential treatment facility in
Interior Health."

* * *

A tale of two treatment centres

Six years ago, Kamloops lost its only publicly funded residential
treatment beds for people dealing with addictions.

Now Kelowna is in a similar situation.

There are several parallels between the loss of Kiwanis House here and
Crossroads Treatment Centre in the Okanagan.

In both cases, the non-profit organizations operating the programs
asked Interior Health for more funding to cover their costs.

A 2006 report looking into the funding of Kiwanis and Crossroads said
the Kamloops facility was "woefully underfunded" getting $39 a day per
bed, while Crossroads was receiving $62 a day.

Crossroads is now getting $92 a day per bed, but told IHA it needed
$132 to stay viable.

Both facilities operated for 37 years when they faced closure. Kiwanis
House had a debt of $400,000; Crossroads owes $1.3 million.

Kiwanis had 21 beds, while Crossroads has 46.

Both closures resulted in a shakeup of treatment programs for
addictions.

In the case of Kamloops, there's been no replacement of a residential
treatment program. Instead, Interior Health provides counsellors and
other day programs, along with supportive housing beds.

Interior Health has said it doesn't want to lose a residential program
entirely and options are under review.

When Kiwanis House shut down permanently, a group of investors - most
with an interest or expertise in addictions - bought the buildings and
reopened them as the Sage Health Centre, a private-pay residential
addictions program. The centre has attracted addictions experts,
including some from Interior Health.
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MAP posted-by: Matt