The Chatham-Kent Health Alliance (CKHA) said a residential withdrawal unit for people with addictions at the Chatham hospital is one step closer thanks to support from the municipality.
The hospital was granted a one-time $500,000 contribution from the municipality to renovate the hospital and create a 10-bed unit that would operate around the clock, seven days a week with access to outpatient services.
The proposal still requires approval from Ontario Health, which would provide the site’s operating costs, but CKHA CEO Lori Marshall said council's support is very helpful in moving the matter forward. She's expecting a decision from the province before the end of March.
"I think it's a very positive step for us to be able to signal to government and very hopeful for some news that could be coming out soon. This is a very needed program in our community and we look forward to being able to deliver on that and this helps us get one step closer," said Marshall.
According to CKHA Vice President of Mental Health and Addictions Alan Stevenson, Chatham-Kent is the only community in southwestern Ontario that does not have a residential withdrawal management program.
Resources in the region include the Bluewater Methadone Clinic in Chatham and Wallaceburg as well as the Rapid Access to Addiction Medicine clinic at both CKHA sites, but some of the services are not open 24 hours a day.
In 2020-21, 186 Chatham-Kent residents were admitted to residential withdrawal management in Windsor and Sarnia. More than 500 patients have been seen in local emergency departments with a diagnosis of substance use disorder.