Mental health, addictions recovery beds added

Nine beds were allocated to Brandon by the provincial government Thursday in support of people recovering from addictions and mental health problems.

At a press conference held in Winnipeg, Mental Health, Wellness and Recovery Minister Audrey Gordon made good on the government’s promise two years ago and added 100 new beds for people recovering from addictions and mental health problems in the province. The cost for the 100 supportive recovery housing beds is $2.6 million.

“Recovery from substance use or addiction is challenging, and we know that a supportive environment is crucial in an individual’s recovery journey,” Gordon said.

The aim is to fill a gap in the continuum of substance use and addiction services in Manitoba and support individuals who are transitioning from treatment programs back into the community, Gordon said.

Thursday’s announcement will see a partnership with Brandon and Area Youth For Christ Inc., to develop nine new supportive recovery-housing units in Brandon, with an initial investment of nearly $90,000.

This announcement will bring the total number of new supportive recovery housing beds to 100 since it was first announced in 2019.

It includes the development of 70 beds with Siloam Mission, Riverwood Church Community Inc. and Tamarack Recovery Centre Inc. in Winnipeg, 12 units with Men Are Part of the Solution Inc., based in Thompson and targeting women in the northern region and nine units with the Community Health and Housing Association Westman Region Inc. for the Brandon region.

Supportive recovery housing provides accommodation in a stable, abstinence-focused and recovery-oriented environment for six months to two years. Activities focus on coaching for daily living, as individuals transition back to community living.

“This funding will help our community develop the additional relational support necessary for long-term recovery,” Westman Youth for Christ executive director Dwayne Dyck said in the province’s news release.

Recommendations from the VIRGO report and the Illicit Drug Task Force report both identified the need to add supportive recovery housing units to help meet demand for these services. The VIRGO report also prioritized services for Indigenous people and recommended increasing capacity of services for women, including access to transitional housing. The minister noted these new units are significant in increasing access to services for both of these groups.

Funding will be provided through the Canada-Manitoba Home and Community Care and Mental Health and Addictions Services Funding Agreement.