In response to the opioid crisis plaguing the Lower Mainland, Edgewood Health Network has opened a detox and residential treatment facility in South Surrey.
“The main thing right now is that we opened just because of the opioid crisis out there,” WhiteRock EHN (2567 King George Blvd.) clinical manager Anjie Gibson told Peace Arch News, adding that the scope of the work they do is not restricted to clients who struggle with street-level opioid addiction.
“This could be anything from street-level abuse to someone who is white collar that is a professional.. that are struggling with some sort of addiction,” Gibson said. “It could be alcohol, it could be related to prescription drugs which is huge in the higher socioeconomic class.”
Gibson said Edgewood did a market survey and found that a lot of people who identify with having a substance abuse problem didn’t feel there were proper facilities to meet their needs.
“Right now, we know that there are only a few detox facilities and if you were to go to them, they quite under-run, shared rooms. They’re quite overcrowded and don’t provide evidence-based treatment,” Gibson said.
The privately run facility includes 14 private beds in a co-ed space for people 19 years and older.
The facility offers detox, as well as a three-week residential program, among others.
Unlike many detox facilities, WhiteRock EHN is low-barrier, Gibson said.
“We can literally have someone who just had their last drink. We will accept them into the facility and detox them right away.