Vancouver social detox program ending, leaving youth to ‘fend for themselves’: advocate

A Vancouver youth detox and housing program is closing this summer and a new model is replacing it. But youth advocates say this will leave a significant gap in care for young people in the city.

Kali Sedgemore is a peer support worker and says they’re sad and ‘heartbroken’ to see Vancouver Coastal Health pull funding from the social detox model to start a new withdrawal management program for youth and their families.

Sedgemore says youth will be “left to fend for themselves” without access to the program.

“Sometimes, just a break from the streets is all you need. Or just some food in your stomach, or just having someone there to talk to, or just hang out with people,” they added.

Them defunding @Directions_FSGV youth detox is a hugh loss & devasting to the many youth who access this valuable service. Youth detox helped me get away from downtown to take a break from the streets, eat & sleep. Losing this is gonna mean youth who are street involved

— Kali Sedgemore (@kalismethy313) April 1, 2022

Youth stay for five to nine days, and staff try to make it feel like home while providing addictions services.

“Staff make meals three times a day. But also comfort food.” Marnie Goldenberg, vice-president of programs for Family Services of Greater Vancouver told CityNews. “Like if grilled cheese is going to be what makes you feel good while you’re detoxifying and feeling horrid, then that’s what we’re going to give you. There’s somebody who’s going to draw a bath and add Epsom salts.”

VCH explains in a statement that only using social detox puts youth at risk for greater harm and overdose after their discharge.

“Funding will be shifted to support a more flexible withdrawal management model. The new model will include:

• Expansion of the home stabilization team to provide longer-term wrap-around support for youth looking for withdrawal management support;
• More access to home and community detox with medical supports and wrap-around services;
• Procurement of a new two-bed resource site for youth detox,
• Creating a new Downtown Eastside youth outreach team,
• Ongoing partnership with Vancouver Detox for youth requiring medical detox services.”

A spokesperson for the health authority says the new model will be ready by May 31. The Directions Youth Detox program is closing June 3.

A B.C. Coroners Service report released last this month shows the increasing rate of illicit drug deaths in youth and younger adults. In 2021, a record 354 people under the age of 29 died from illicit toxic drugs in B.C.

“… the result of this [closure is] probably going to lead to a lot more youth that are detoxing on the street … that’s really frustrating,” Sedgemore added.

Directions Youth Services is Vancouver’s only 24/7 drop-in centre for youth who use drugs and will continue running its other programs.

“Having lots of different opportunities to access support and care, I think is critical,” Goldenberg said.

An online petition demanding the detox program stay open has more than 900 signatures as of Friday night.

– With files from Nikitha Martins