People living in Prince George with substance-use challenges will soon have access to new mental-health and substance-use services as the Province expands a continuum of care in Northern Health.

As part of a historic investment in mental-health and substance-use services, the Province is funding a new sobering and assessment facility to serve the region. In addition, the Province is working with partners to bring complex-care housing to the North and support people struggling with mental-health issues and substance use, who have previously been caught in a cycle of poverty and criminal charges.

“People in B.C.’s North need and deserve a seamless, integrated system of mental-health and substance-use care,” said Sheila Malcolmson, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions. “By adding a sobering centre and new complex-care housing, we are building a full continuum of mental-health and substance-use care for people in the North’s hub city.”

The sobering and assessment centre at 1201 1st Ave. in Prince George will provide as many eight to 10 beds that will be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, as a safe place for people under significant influence of substances to rest and be monitored. While there, they can be connected to other health and social services and can access resources to meet their basic needs, including washroom facilities and a large space for showers, as well as space for staff and storage.

“The sobering centre is one more tool in our action plan to support people living with substance-use challenges,” said Colleen Nyce, board chair, Northern Health. “Whether individuals are experiencing substance-use or mental-health challenges, or both, meeting people where they are is an important step in supporting them.”

Renovations will be complete in the next few months and the sobering centre is expected to open in early fall 2022.

Quote:

Lyn Hall, mayor of Prince George –

“Prince George city council is very pleased that these supports will soon be available for people in our community. The addition of a sobering centre addresses a critical need for resources dedicated to this area of care. We are looking forward to the addition of complex-care housing to meet the needs of our most vulnerable residents, and we thank the Province for its continued investment in Prince George and ongoing support for these much-needed services.”

Quick Facts:

• Through Budget 2022, the Province has invested $164 million to open complex care housing throughout the province and serve as many as 500 vulnerable people. This investment includes funding to plan for complex care housing projects in the North.
• Through Budget 2021, the Province invested $132 million to significantly improve mental-health and substance-use services for people. This investment included a commitment to open 195 new substance-use beds throughout the province.

Learn More:  

Learn about A Pathway to Hope, government’s vision for mental health and addictions care in B.C.: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2021MMHA0049-001787

Learn more about funding to strengthen B.C.’s system of substance-use treatment and recovery care: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2021MMHA0055-001962

Learn more about complex-care housing: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2022MMHA0005-000083