B.C. detox and recovery program expanding to offer more beds in Vancouver

A Vancouver-based treatment and recovery program for those with addiction challenges is expanding, the B.C. government says, as almost 100 people have graduated from the service at St. Paul’s Hospital since opening in the fall.

Premier David Eby and Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Jennifer Whiteside made the announcement during a news conference Monday morning, adding that the Road to Recovery initiative is helping people get better, seamless treatment and recovery care.

“The moment a person living with addiction chooses to reach out for help, they need to be met with support, not left waiting for services,” said Eby.

“Our government is taking action by delivering mental-health and addictions care that works for everyone. Now, patients will receive seamless support through detox, treatment and recovery, all from one dedicated health-care team at St. Paul’s Hospital.”

The program initially launched with 34 beds in operation. The government says it will be upscaling the program at St. Paul’s to operate 25 detox beds, 20 transitions beds, and 50 treatment and recovery beds for a “seamless continuum of care” by March 2025.

“The window for a person to want recovery support can be very small,” said Ian Haynes, peer coordinator at Road to Recovery.

“Personally, there were so many times I was ready to get help, but when I reached out for treatment, I was told I needed to wait for days, weeks, sometimes months. By the time the date would come, my priorities would have changed. I wouldn’t care anymore, so my substance use disorder would continue. It’s great that now people can access Road to Recovery services when they are ready and can get help in a more streamlined way.”

The Road to Recovery program is a partnership between the province, Providence Health Care, Vancouver Coastal Health, and the BC Centre on Substance Use.

It was built to “address gaps in the system, allow people to access care more effectively and to remove barriers as people transition to different services,” the province says.

“The Road to Recovery initiative is an opportunity to transform how addiction care is delivered in this province,” said Cheyenne Johnson, executive director, BC Centre on Substance Use.

“Through ongoing research and evaluation, it will ensure accessibility of the full continuum of substance-use care, one that is coordinated, accessible, seamless and evidence-based, and closes the gaps that currently exist between prevention, harm reduction, treatment and recovery.”