- 250-213-4441 - the Vancouver Island Health Authority's main addictions intake line, for questions and help entering treatment options listed below. Those suffering an addiction, as well as their families, can call for help.
People can apply themselves, or also be referred for addictions treatment through a family doctor, hospital emergency room, social worker, mental health professional or service agency such as the Victoria Cool Aid Society, Victoria Native Friendship Centre, Pacific Centre Family Services Association in the West Shore and Saltspring Island Community Services.
- The Umbrella Society - 901 Kings Rd., 250-380-0595, a small but useful organization that helps guide clients and their families through their treatment options, referring them to many of the programs listed below and helping connect them with any Ministry of Social Development funding.
- 1250 Quadra Street, 2nd floor - VIHA's main Addictions Outpatient Treatment office. Free, confidential service, staffed by counsellors, including twice weekly information sessions (Tuesday and Thursday at 1: 30 p.m.) to explain the addictions system. Includes outpatient and group programs. Addictions counselling is also offered by many of the service agencies listed above.
- Sobering & Assessment Centre - 1125 Pembroke Street, 20-bed facility, open 24-7, warm shelter with laundry and snacks for people addicted to alcohol or drugs. For stays less than 24 hours. May be launching pad for referrals to other programs.
- Medical detox - Royal Jubilee Hospital's Eric Martin Pavilion, 21 beds, 24-hour care when withdrawing from alcohol and other drugs, because in some cases sudden withdrawal can lead to medical distress. Usually 7-10 day stay. Wait list ranges from same-day admittance to up to seven days, depending on case.
- Stabilization - Pembroke Place, 17 beds, 7-30 day stay, screened for highest-risk patients who need 24-hour care with 12-hour nursing support. Patients get individual treatment plans, group sessions and individual support from an addictions worker. Pembroke also has long-term daily outpatient treatment classes.
- Supportive Recovery - Community living for people already detoxed for several weeks. Ten beds for women (Holly Place and Lilac Place) and 10 beds for men (The Grove). There are also two male beds at Foundation House in Victoria. Usual two-to three-month stay. Clients cook own meals, work on group treatment, life skills and individual treatment plans.
- Residential Treatment - Housing and treatment. No public centres currently exist on Vancouver Island. There are private centres, but patients must pay unless their employer, union or insurance company covers costs.
Private residential centres on the Island include Cedars at Cobble Hill (typically $15,000 to $20,000 per stay) and Edgewood ($350 a day) in Nanaimo.
Edgewood also runs an Esquimalt outpatient centre at #102-1245 Esquimalt Rd., 250-590-3168, where the first session is free and outpatient programs can be developed for $1,000 to $3,000.
There are also First Nations treatment centres including Kackaamin Family Development Centre in Port Alberni, Namgis Treatment Centre in Alert Bay and Tsow-Tun Le Lum Society Treatment Centre in Lantzville. Payment for those can be a complex mixture of provincial and federal government funds, as well as possible band support.
Several public and private facilities are located in the Lower Mainland and accept Island referrals.
At Pacifica Treatment Centre in Vancouver, for example, costs range from $160 to $250 a day.
