On Friday, Interior Health announced that five new youth withdrawal management beds would soon be coming to Kamloops.
The contract for the five new beds was awarded to the Kamloops Society for Alcohol and Drug Services to provide community-based withdrawal management for youth aged 12 to 24 at the Phoenix Centre facility.
The beds are expected to open by this fall.
“Interior Health is committed to expanding and strengthening substance use services in Kamloops and the surrounding area,” said Interior Health president and CEO, Susan Brown.
“Thanks to support from the Province and community partners, we are pleased to offer more services for young people struggling with substance use challenges.”
Interior Health explains that these five new beds are in addition to 10 youth substance use treatment beds that were announced a year ago for Kamloops and another 10 in Kelowna.
Phoenix Centre executive director, Siân Lewis, says the facility provides a safe and culturally relevant environment and implements “a philosophy of care that is client-directed with a focus on developing strengths and resiliency.”
A news release from Interior Health explains that withdrawal management – sometimes called detox – provides short-term medical supervision and support to people who are experiencing withdrawal symptoms related to the discontinuation of alcohol and some drugs.
In certain circumstances, medical supervision is important because of the potentially serious health risks related to withdrawal.
The new beds in Interior Health are part of the Province’s commitment to double the number of youth substance use beds available in BC which was announced on Aug.13, 2020.
The Ministry of Health and Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions aims to implement 123 new beds across the province as part of the 10-year strategy Pathway to Hope.
