Prince Albert-Northcote MLA Alana Ross (left) and YWCA of Prince Albert CEO Donna Brooks. (Derek Craddock/paNOW Staff)

By Derek Craddock

ADDICTION TREATMENT

New addiction treatment beds now in use at P.A. YWCA

Mar 15, 2022 | 6:00 PM

Several new addiction treatment beds are now in use at the YWCA Our House in Prince Albert.

In January, the province announced the new beds for Prince Albert along with dozens more for Saskatoon, Lloydminster, Regina, and Moose Jaw.

The new beds are part of a $1-million 2019-20 provincial budget commitment to provide an additional 50 pre- and post-treatment addiction beds throughout Saskatchewan.

“It’s very important that we have treatment beds to help our individuals who have challenges with addictions. We recognized within the government that we do have challenges with mental health and addictions within our province and that was evident with record-setting budget allotments for mental health and addictions in the 2021 budget.”

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“It’s very important that we have treatment beds, you know, to help our individuals who have challenges with addictions,” said MLA for Prince Albert-Northcote Alana Ross.

Donna Brooks, CEO of the Prince Albert YWCA said these beds are already being used and explained how they work.

“There is a lag time from the detox or the desire to get to treatment and the date they can get into treatment,” she said. “With addictions, it’s imperative that you have a very, very small window to get that person somewhere safe.

“That’s what the pre-beds address. They will be able to provide a safe, supportive bed until the person can get into treatment. The post beds, similarly, they’re coming out of treatment and maybe they came from an environment that’s not so good before, where they were surrounded by people who use. They need a safe place to be able to transition.”

(Derek Craddock/paNOW Staff)

The SHA’s Director of Mental Health and Addiction Services for the northeast, Jennifer Suchorab, added that many families have a hard time finding support in those transitional moments which makes the new beds very important.

The provincial government said it’s investing a record amount for mental health and addictions services in 2021-22, including an increase of $23.4 million over last year’s budget.​

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derek.craddock@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @pa_craddock