Vancouver Island Detox Services
Posted by CDR Help Desk on Nov 4, 2014 in Blog | 2 comments
A woman in the Comox Valley contacted us looking for alcohol withdrawal services.
Did you know? There are more detox options on Vancouver Island than treatment options. There are three major locations in Courtenay, Nanaimo, and Victoria all capable of doing medical withdrawal. There are also several social detoxes Along the island as well.
This is because residential treatment seems to crash and burn on Vancouver Island. To our knowledge, there are no government-funded primary treatment programs. There’s a very short-term facility in Victoria for 10 days post-withdrawal, but it’s most suitable as a temporary situation. Nanaimo and Campbell River have programs for men at the John Howard society. A men-only program also exists at the Comox Valley Recovery Centre.
There are no public treatment programs providing treatment for 21 days or more accessible to women. There is sober living/support, just no primary treatment unless you can pay to attend private treatment such as Cedars or Edgewood.
VANCOUVER ISLAND DETOX SERVICES
Comox
Addiction Services
941C England Avenue, Courtenay BC V9N 2N7
Phone: (250) 331-8524
Note: provides day detox withdrawal management services
Substance Intervention Program
St. Joseph’s General Hospital
2137 Comox Avenue Comox, BC V9M 1P2
Phone: (250) 339-1573 Pager: (250) 703-9102
Note: provides social detoxification, screening, psychiatric assessment, and brief intervention.
Nanaimo
Clearview Centre
967 Haliburton Street Nanaimo, BC V9R 6N5
Phone: (250) 739-5891 Fax: (250) 739-5892
Note: A 12 bed non-smoking medical detox operated by VIHA that provides medical- supervised withdrawal support and referrals to other support services. Clients looking for referrals need to call message line at 250-739-5859 (Messages are checked Monday to Friday 8:30 – 4:30).
Victoria
Victoria Medical Society
Eric Martin Pavillion
5A-2334 Trent Street, Victoria, BC V8R 4Z3
Phone: (250) 519-7708 (Main) Phone: (250) 213-4441 (Intake)
Note: Has 21 co-ed medical detox beds. Clients need to go to 1125 Pembroke St (VWMS) for an assessment where they can be referred into this program or at that Pembroke location (see below).
Victoria Withdrawal Management Services (VWMS)
The Sobering and Assessment Centre
1125 Pembroke Street Victoria, BC V8T 1J3
Phone: (250) 213-4441 Fax: (250) 213-4445
Website: Victoria Withdrawal Management Services
Note: For adults who require detox. Provides 20 co-ed beds for shelter and assessment for inebriated clients for less than 24 hours. Clients can walk in for service if appearing at this address. Otherwise, individuals will require a police or hospital referral. Also provides short-term detoxification for acute medical withdrawal (this service requires a physician referral faxed to (250) 213-4445). Finally, it also has a 17-bed medical detox service.
If you need more detox options, this webpage lists other detox programs in BC: http://www.canadadrugrehab.ca/BC/British-Columbia-Detox-Medical-Alcohol-Drug-Rehab-Programs.html#medical
I am a coach. I am looking for a detox and treatment program for a client who lives in Victoria. I currently live and work in Edmonton Alberta and as such am not familiar with the services on Vancouver Island. If someone could help me understand the process to access funding for individuals requiring detox and possibly treatment, (male client in his late 40s) I would very much appreciate that. Thank you.
Hi Kelly,
We’re happy to help explain the process of funding and detox/treatment for individuals. It first depends entirely on whether or not your client needs public or private treatment.
If it’s public, the below locations are your best bet:
Victoria Withdrawal Management Services (VWMS)
The Sobering and Assessment Centre
1125 Pembroke Street
Victoria, BC V8T 1J3
Phone: (250) 213-4441
Fax: (250) 213-4445
Website: Victoria Withdrawal Management Services
Note: For adults who require detox. VWMS provides the following services: (1) Sobering and Assessment Centre provides 20 co-ed beds for shelter and assessment for inebriated clients for less than 24 hours. Clients can walk in for service if appearing at this address. Otherwise, individuals will require a police or hospital referral. (2) Victoria Detox provides short term (approximately 7 days) detoxification for acute medical withdrawal. This service requires a physician referral faxed to (250) 213-4445. (3) Pembroke Place Stabilization Unit is a 17 bed medical detox service. Clients need to go to 1125 Pembroke st. for a referral to this program.
This treatment facility below is where the detox/outpatient office, which is in the same location above, may refer him.
The Grove
Victoria, BC
Website: http://www.viha.ca/mhas/locations/victoria_gulf/addictionsoutpatient.htm
Note: A ten-bed house for men. Men can stay up to 3 months and staff are available 16 hours per day. Access to this service requires a referral from an addictions counsellor done through Victoria Clinic at (250) 519-3544 or faxed to (250) 381-3222.
If your client is looking for private treatment, then there are several more questions we would want to ask before making recommendations. The closest private treatment centre by proximity is Cedars at Cobble Hill. However, there are many treatment centres further up island and in BC that may or may not be better suited for his needs.
Hope that helps!
CDR Help Desk