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Intake starts for 20 spaces at Willowview Recovery Centre

Lumsden-based addictions treatment facility now open to patients; still another 40 to come.
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Minister of Rural and Remote Health Lori Carr at the legislature. File photo.

REGINA - The province has announced that intake has started for 20 inpatient spaces at the EHN Willowview Recovery Centre in Lumsden.

This first phase of intake at the new addictions treatment centre began Jan. 21, according to a news release from the province. The facility will ultimately take 60 patients with further phases still to come this year.

“I am delighted that the first phase of inpatient spaces are now operating at our province’s largest addictions treatment centre,” said Mental Health and Addictions Minister Lori Carr.

“The Government of Saskatchewan is focused on helping residents who want treatment for substance use access the supports they need to start their path to recovery.”

The province adds that it is taking a phased approach and will be converting the remaining 40 spaces from outpatient to inpatient throughout the spring.

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Seen here: the exterior of Willowview Recovery Centre. Photo courtesy the Government of Saskatchewan.

The facility had been offering outpatient services since last fall, and the province adds the operator EHN Canada is continuing to work with the Rural Municipality of Lumsden for approvals on renovations at the facility.

“It is genuinely a privilege to partner with the Government of Saskatchewan and the Saskatchewan Health Authority to bring this world-class centre to the residents of this province,” said EHN CEO Joe Manget in a news release. 

“As a resident of Ontario, I really envy what this province is doing; your government is forward thinking and gets things done. I hope the country takes note of Saskatchewan’s leadership in mental health and addictions.”

The province states that the facility will “provide adults who want treatment for substance use with holistic, wrap-around inpatient addictions treatment for up to 16 weeks.”

Both the province and EHN Canada had been under fire from the Official Opposition over the slow pace of the opening, with NDP critic Betty Nippi-Albright calling attention to the issue at a news conference last week.

For its part the province is touting that with  60 spaces at Willowview, 221 of the 500 new spaces under Saskatchewan’s Action Plan for Mental Health and Addictions “are now available to Saskatchewan residents.”

“We know that anyone can struggle with substance use that can lead to dependency,” said SHA Provincial Executive Director of Mental Health and Addictions Services Colleen Quinlan in a statement. 

“These treatment spaces are another monumental step toward getting more people access to the help they need when they need it. This partnership allows us to better support Saskatchewan residents voluntarily seeking addictions treatment on their recovery journey.”

 

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