‘It should be a clear slam dunk yes:’ Parksville council gives support to addiction treatment centre

Implying the location may not be perfect, Gaur said the discussion around this project highlights issues of stigmatization people with substance use and mental health challenges constantly deal with.

“I don’t know any place in Parksville that will say ‘It’s a good location, let’s put it here,’. We as a society also need to come to terms with the fact this crisis is affecting us every day.”

Coun. Joel Grenz said the project is badly needed.

“This application, I must admit really frustrates me, because it should be a clear slam dunk yes,” he said.

Grenz noted concerns from direct neighbours need to be taken into consideration.

The planned 24/7 staffed facility would include three additional outreach workers, which Coun. Sean Wood said is a key investment from Island Health.

He said having more of a presence on their streets to help those who need will relieve pressure off local front-line responders.

‘” think that’s a very big bonus for the City of Parksville.” Coun. Wood said.

While he offered preliminary support, mayor Doug O’Brien said he’s still in the information-gathering stage.

The mayor said he appreciated the background work Island Health did to engage with the community and organizations regarding its proposal.

Voicing its opposition to the proposal in the form of a letter was the Parksville Downtown Business Association.

During rounds of Island Health-run public information sessions, 56 per cent of people who connected with the sessions were found to be in favour of the centre, while another 18 per cent remained neutral.

Of the 25 per cent opposed, the main concerns surrounded the concentration of addiction services in Parksville’s downtown.

Executive director for mental health and substance user services with Island Health Sheila Leadbetter, told councillours a similar facility opened in a residential Victoria neighbourhood in December 2022, and has gone without a single call to police or emergency health services since it opened.

“The treatment centre is not an outpatient program where people get to come and go as they please. As we know [the location] today, it will not look any different when it becomes a treatment centre.”

Clients through the centre are closely monitored and worked within their voluntary quest to escape addiction.

Admissions to the facility are done through a screening process with the site itself having restricted access for both residents and visitors.

Even when a client leaves the facility after recovery, Island Health provides support.

“A plan will be in place on how the client is returning to their home community,” Leadbetter said. “If a client wants to leave the program early and no longer receive treatment, they will have two emergency contacts and the staff will work with them to assist in returning the client to their home community.”

Clients spend 90 days in the treatment centre moving through three phases of care before, all being well, being discharged back to their home communities with continued health support.

Use of drugs on site is strictly prohibited, and along with violence, would be potential grounds for expulsion from the program.

Local news. Delivered. Free. Subscribe to our daily news wrap and get our top local stories delivered to your email inbox every evening

info@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @NanaimonewsNOW

by NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

‘It should be a clear slam dunk yes:’ Parksville council gives support to addiction treatment centre

More Local News