New Addictions Extended Care facility supporting more Island women in their recovery
Islanders identifying as women now have increased access to day programming and residential treatment to support their recovery from addiction and substance use with the new Extended Addictions Care facility opening.
The new facility opened on June 1 and replaces Lacey House, which operated for more than 30 years. The facility addresses a need for more longer-term accommodations for Islanders identifying as women 18 years of age and older, requiring a supportive residential environment to support them in their choice to maintain a substance-free lifestyle.
“As a government, we are committed to adding community-based mental health and addictions programming and residential facilities. We want to deliver a continuum of care that supports everyone from individuals in the community to those who require the support of a residential program.”
- Minister of Health and Wellness Minister Ernie Hudson
The much larger, fully accessible and modern facility offers 12 client residential spaces, twice as many as Lacey House, for a maximum 90-day residential stay to receive full-day and evening treatment programming. The facility has the capacity for an additional four day-treatment programming spaces. This facility also includes dedicated spaces for residents to visit with family members and overnight visits for those with children.
“This new facility is an essential step in our efforts to provide women, including individuals identifying as women, and their families with better access to mental health, addictions and substance use care,” said Joanne Donahoe, Health PEI’s Executive Director of Mental Health and Addictions. “Our community-first approach to delivering programming, led by an incredible team of health care professionals, strives to provide residents and day program clients with wrap-around support to help them succeed on their road to recovery from addiction and substance use.”
As part of the programming provided, clients receive information on methods to confront chemical dependency while learning essential life skills, healthy relationship building and parenting skills. Counselling is led by a social worker and a team of trained addictions professionals who focus on developing coping skills for relapse prevention.
“The recovery care and supports we offer is life changing. It takes courage and dedicated effort for our clients to maintain their sobriety, build self-confidence and resiliency every day so that when their time with our program comes to an end they are stronger in their journey to recovery as they transition back to community and their home life,” said Charmaine Campbell, Health PEI’s Manager of Mental Health and Addictions Transitional Programs.
“This is a big step in revitalizing mental health and addiction services and we are aligning this expanded service with other important investments in acute and emergency care, structured and transitional housing, new programs for day-treatment, and added resources and staffing,” said Hudson. “By focusing our efforts on supporting Islanders where they are at with the right community, transitional and acute mental health and addiction programs and services, we can keep better help Islanders, including their families and support systems, along their journey to recovery and wellness.”
The Addictions Extended Care residential and day-treatment programs are accessible by referral. A referral can be submitted by individuals themselves, a primary care provider (family physician or nurse practitioner), mental health or addictions service, or an out-of-province treatment facility. Self-referrals should be sent to ammullen@ihis.org or call (902) 368-4083.
For help accessing mental health, addiction and substance use services, Islanders can also contact the Mental Health and Addictions Patient Navigator by emailing MHApatientnavigator@ihis.org.
Media Contacts:
Dave Atkinson
Health PEI
datkinson@ihis.org
(902) 213-5936
Ron Ryder
Health and Wellness
rrryder@gov.pe.ca
(902) 314-6367