On the same day the BC Coroners Service announced another 333 people have died of drug overdose in B.C., the provincial government announced 10 new specialized addiction-treatment beds in Surrey.
A report from the Coroners Service shows that 333 lives were lost to suspected illicit drug toxicity in August and September, raising the total number of British Columbians lost this year to 1,534.
The 1,534 cumulative deaths in 2021 are the most in the first nine months of a calendar year and represent a 24 per cent increase over the 1,240 deaths recorded between January and September 2020. The provincewide death rate stands at 39.4 per 100,000 residents, nearly double the rate in 2016 when the public health emergency into substance-related harms was first declared.
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Mental health and addictions minister Sheila Malcolmson was in Surrey Tuesday (Nov. 9) to announce the new treatment bed program at Surrey乌鸦传媒檚 Phoenix Society, where all 10 beds are located.
乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 heartbreaking to see so many lives lost in August and September due to the drug-poisoning crisis. My thoughts and sympathies go out to all the families who have lost a loved one,乌鸦传媒� Malcolmson said in a statement prior to the announcement.
The treatment beds are for adults who need help with severe substance-use dependency and mild to moderate mental-health challenges.
While located in Surrey, the beds are to offer care to adults throughout the province, including individuals involved in the criminal justice system. The province said the beds are to complement regional treatment beds and provide another step for people who need intense services and support.
According to its website, the Phoenix Society is a non-profit, multi-service agency dedicated to providing accessible services and opportunities to people who face barriers related to addiction, mental health, housing, education, criminal justice involvement and employment.
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Phoenix CEO Keir Macdonald said the 10 new licensed treatment beds will be located at the society乌鸦传媒檚 Quibble Creek facility.
乌鸦传媒淚t is crucial that treatment programs be expanded amidst the ongoing drug poisoning crisis that is taking six lives every day in British Columbia,乌鸦传媒� Macdonald said. 乌鸦传媒淲ith this investment, we will see increased access to treatment and recovery services right across the province, including those existing the criminal justice system, a group known to face elevated risks within their first months following release.乌鸦传媒�
Surrey乌鸦传媒檚 Nelson Mendonca knows the criminal justice system well. He乌鸦传媒檚 rebuilt his life after struggling with addiction, homelessness and incarceration.
While inside prison, Mendonca connected with the Phoenix program and was able to stabilize his life. He乌鸦传媒檚 now a peer support worker with Phoenix. He乌鸦传媒檚 set to graduate with his social worker diploma from Vancouver Career College in January 2022.
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乌鸦传媒淏eing incarcerated makes it challenging to navigate information on resources related to treatment programs. Given this, it乌鸦传媒檚 my goal to help alleviate the stress of individuals looking to enter similar programs after they are incarcerated. These new beds are a good step forward in helping streamline the process and are going to make a huge difference,乌鸦传媒� Mendonca said at the press conference.
In addition to the beds, the province announced people with substance-use challenges in the Fraser Health region will have access to new and expanded regional services, including expansion of the virtual health clinic, the new Addictions Medicine Consult Team (AMCT) at Burnaby Hospital and enhancements to existing AMCTs at the Royal Columbian and Surrey hospitals.
乌鸦传媒淲hen a person living with addictions is ready to take a step toward recovery, we want to help. That乌鸦传媒檚 why the new substance-use beds in Surrey, along with Fraser Health乌鸦传媒檚 new addictions medicine teams and virtual clinic, are so critical. People in British Columbia will have access when and where they need it - be it in a hospital emergency room, an urgent primary care centre or a shelter,乌鸦传媒� Malcolmson said.
Surrey-White Rock MLA Trevor Halford, who is the BC Liberal addictions and mental health critic, said the BC Coroners Service report was 乌鸦传媒渁bsolutely tragic.乌鸦传媒�
乌鸦传媒淭hese are staggering numbers, but behind each number is a human life and we have to realize that. We乌鸦传媒檙e on pace to break last year乌鸦传媒檚 record so whatever we乌鸦传媒檙e doing is clearly not working. We need to redouble our efforts,乌鸦传媒� Halford said.
As for Tuesday乌鸦传媒檚 announcement regarding an addition of 10 beds, Halford suggested it wasn乌鸦传媒檛 enough.
乌鸦传媒淲e need a seismic overhaul of how we乌鸦传媒檙e looking at treatment in British Columbia. Right now, it乌鸦传媒檚 kind of a patchwork approach where we乌鸦传媒檙e adding beds here and there. We need to make sure we have enough beds.乌鸦传媒�
aaron.hinks@peacearchnews.com
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