Pubdate: Fri, 23 Dec 2016
Source: Vancouver Sun (CN BC)
Copyright: 2016 Postmedia Network Inc.
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/477
Author: Jeff Lee
Page: A1

CITY OF SURREY CAPS NUMBER OF RECOVERY HOUSES

Council willing to allow only 55 amid a surge of overdoses,
homelessness

Grappling with a steady stream of fentanyl overdoses and the
interrelated issues of drug addiction and homelessness, the City of
Surrey has moved to limit the number of recovery houses that can
operate in its boundaries.

With 50 registered recovery houses and another 20 unlicensed
facilities taking in people with severe addictions, city council this
week said it is willing to permit 55 homes, and the rest must shut
down.

It may sound counterintuitive to restrict the spread of recovery
houses when the city is in the midst of a drug and homelessness
crisis, but doing so will help those in need in the long run, Coun.
Vera LeFranc said. The city has been plagued by illegal recovery
houses that prey on addicts, particularly on welfare cheque days, she
said.

"They just take people's cheques and then kick them out again,"
LeFranc said.

The city has cracked down on illegal or unregistered recovery homes
for the past two years. In 2014, as many as 250 were open, causing a
flood of complaints, said Jas Rehal, Surrey's manager of bylaw
enforcement. The city got rid of the worst, and by 2015 it received
only 110 complaints. This year the number dropped to 79.

Many recovery houses provide great services, including counselling
referrals and other services, LeFranc said. But the object of the
council decision is to keep only the best recovery houses, and work
with the Fraser Health Authority to support their operations.

"We really are hosting a disproportionate number of recovery homes in
Surrey compared to elsewhere in the region," LeFranc said. "We're not
trying to limit the good ones, we're trying to get rid of the bad ones."

Rehal said the city will take seven months to close those that don't
receive a licence. No one will be evicted, both he and LeFranc insisted.

Susan Sanderson, executive director of the Realistic Success Recovery
Society, said demand is high for recovery houses in Surrey.

"We've been at capacity, if not over capacity, for the last four
months, which is very unusual. We really haven't had an empty bed. We
have to turn people away," Sanderson said.

The non-profit society has operated three publicly funded recovery
homes in Surrey since 2007, which are certified by the B.C. Ministry
of Health's Assisted Living Registry. Each of the homes house 10
people and operate using a 12 step recovery program, combined with
addiction counselling.

Sanderson said it's crucial that beds be available when people seek
help.

"Part of addiction is that everyone at some point has a glimmer, a
lucid moment when a person says they need help and they want to stop
doing this," Sanderson said. "If a bed is not available in that
moment, that person is not going to get help. It has to be that
moment. We detox them here."

She applauded Surrey for planning to have more structure and business
licences for recovery homes, but is concerned that if the cap is a
hard cap, she won't be able to expand if a good house becomes available.

"It depends on how they approach it and if there is any room for
organizations to expand," Sanderson said.

She said there are very few recovery homes in Surrey that combine a
12-step program with certified counsellors. She is critical of
unregulated recovery homes, calling them "glorified crack shacks."

"There were a lot of people being mistreated in these facilities,"
Sanderson said.

Sanderson is on a Ministry of Health subcommittee on new recovery home
regulations, but said the City of Surrey didn't contact her about the
changes. The city has indicated it will review the cap once the new
regulations are approved by the Ministry of Health, Sanderson said.
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MAP posted-by: Matt