Interior Health and the Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions are preparing to open the first complex care centres in Kamloops and Kelowna in the coming months.
In a news release, IH says it has committed to opening 20 spaces in each city. They will be smaller spaces with five to eight suites.
Susan Brown, IH president and CEO, says the complex care model has been implemented in different cities across BC but is fairly new to the Interior.
Complex care housing has on-site health care and social supports designed for people who live with mental health, addiction or medical challenges and have difficulty maintaining housing.
Each centre will have 24/7 staff on site, including nurses, occupational therapists, social workers, cultural workers and peer support workers.
Additionally, Active Care Youth and Adult Services will be providing life skills training for things such as cooking, cleaning and shopping, psychosocial rehabilitation and education, preparation for independent living and providing help with access to education or employment.
Kelowna mayor Tom Dyas says local governments in the Okanagan have been advocating for this type of program for years and welcomes the initiative.
“The opening of new complex care spaces in Kelowna is a small step in the right direction to help some of our most vulnerable citizens dealing with overlapping conditions including mental health and addictions,” states Dyas.
Kamloops mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson explains that this is an essential step in supporting vulnerable members of the community.
“This is a pivotal step in the right direction and we look forward to continuing to work together with the province to tackle the health-care needs in Kamloops,” says Hamer-Jackson.
No official opening dates have been announced at this time.
