Women and girls in B.C. living with substance-use challenges will soon benefit from continued treatment and recovery services.

The Province has provided $270,000 to Westminster House Society to support several of their programs, including treatment and recovery for youth, trauma-informed gender-specific treatment, and wraparound supports for girls and young women aged 14 to 21. This funding is in addition to nearly $70,000 government provided to Westminster House Society over the past two years.

The funding has also supported music therapy, trauma counselling, and dialectical behaviour therapy for youth with multiple and severe psychosocial disorders.

“The brave women and girls who seek addiction treatment and recovery help from Westminster House are met with such kindness,” said Sheila Malcolmson, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions. “Our government is honoured to support Westminster House Society’s much-needed expansion of treatment and recovery services for young women and girls. The powerful voices of the young women and girls I met who are benefiting from these programs will stay with me as we transform B.C.’s system of care.”

Westminster House Society is a long-term bed-based recovery centre that has provided supports for women and girls with addictions for four decades. Provincial investments have also allowed Westminster House to enhance its wellness program, which helps women develop coping strategies for stress and learn healthy habits on their path to recovery, while fostering feelings of hope and happiness.

“Westminster House Society’s enhanced wellness programs are progressive and focus on looking at recovery through a holistic lens,” said Susan Hogarth, executive director of Westminster House Society. “Many of our clients come into our facility with trauma, mental-health challenges, poor health and poor immunity. Our enhanced recovery model focuses on teaching techniques that can help with coping, mindfulness and dealing with stress, as well as provide physical benefits that increase energy, improve sleep and improve mood.”

Enhancing supports for people living with addictions challenges is an integral part of A Pathway to Hope, B.C.’s roadmap for building the comprehensive system of mental-health and addictions care that British Columbians deserve.

Quotes:

Jennifer Whiteside, MLA, New Westminster –

“Westminster House Society is a cherished community organization and has been an invaluable resource for women and girls over the past 40 years. With the Province’s support, the society will be able to continue that work and help even more people.”

Bobby, alumna, Westminster House Society –

“Acupuncture was good for meditation and taught me how to be myself and be present in the room. Culture experiences was my favourite group because it taught me the value of spirituality. As a person who has experienced chronic lapses in my recovery, I found that wellness was the piece that was missing, until now.”

Brenda, mother of a recovered youth –

“We are so grateful for the support provided by Westminster House Society and the community they have built. Their holistic approach to recovery during treatment and the ongoing support they have provided to the clients and their loved ones is the difference.”

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

Westminster House Society: https://www.westminsterhouse.ca/