New Wellness & Recovery Centre

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Brightshores Health System is excited to announce that we are opening a brand new facility dedicated to supporting individuals with addictions and mental health needs. Thanks to funding from the Ministry of Health, the new facility, once fully operational, will have space to serve up to 45 inpatients, as well as outpatient services. The new facility will be located in a former public school in Owen Sound (Bayview School) on 6th A Street East.

This project is the first of its kind in this region and is unique in Canada. Based on harm reduction and recovery principles, the Wellness & Recovery Centre will provide a safe environment for individuals in need of support and management of their substance use and mental health concerns. The model of care of based on key wellness outcomes identified in the First Nations Mental Wellness Continuum: purpose, meaning, belonging and hope. These correspond to physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellness as depicted on the Medicine Wheel.

An example patient journey based on the services offered in the new Wellness & Recovery Centre is depicted below.

Why are we building this facility now?

Our region has seen a significant increase in opioid-related hospitalizations, and our Emergency Department visits have tripled in the past few years. This new recovery centre will be the largest of its kind in our region and will be able to treat people from across Grey Bruce. Here’s what we are seeing:

  • Brightshores Withdrawal Management Services is at 100% occupancy with a waitlist
  • Rapid Access Addiction Medicine visits have increased over 500% over the last 3 years
  • 22% of Grey-Bruce residents identify as heavy drinkers           
  • 25% of all Emergency Department (ED) substance abuse visits return to the ED within 30 days for a substance abuse or mental health related issue
  • On average there are 15 substance abuse ED visits per day across all of Grey Bruce

The Wellness & Recovery Centre will provide stable housing while individuals with complex needs receive treatment and begin the recovery journey. Many of these individuals have concurrent substance use issues and mental health concerns, intersecting with issues such as unemployment and homelessness. The new facility with address pressing gaps in mental health and addictions treatment; the program provides holistic care that addresses all social determinants of health and stages of change.

How will people be helped?

Built on collaboration

The wellness centre will have collaborative space for community partners, which will allow us to offer a range of services and programs for inpatients and outpatients.

Prioritize safety and support

The centre will provide a safe environment for people who need additional support after discharge from hospital and/or addiction services or who are referred by partners, or simply walk in seeking help. Priority access will be provided to Indigenous and transgendered individuals.

The Impact

For individuals treated at the new wellness centre, benefits include:
  • Fewer people and families experience tragic outcomes
  • Reduced suffering and stigmatization
  • More people engaged in employment, education, and self-care activities
  • Fewer people losing stable housing
For all of us in Grey Bruce, the benefits include:
  • Reduced healthcare costs (much less expensive than hospital beds)
  • Reduced use of hospital emergency services
  • Decreased use of social assistance
  • Reduced involvement in the justice system
  • Creates a “centre of excellence” program that can be replicated elsewhere

What services will the new centre offer?

Designated Treatment Areas
 

When fully operational the facility will be able to serve 45 inpatients at a time, plus outpatients. Services include:

24/7 Addiction recovery services
  • Medical detoxification
  • Relapse prevention and treatment
 
Longer-term stays
  • Transitional supportive living; people stay for various lengths of time according to their individualized recovery/support plans
Once the centre is fully operational, therapeutic services will include:
  • Gym
  • Multi-faith Healing Space
  • Designated Indigenous beds
  • Designated Transgender beds
  • Kitchen and dining room (also a space for life and employment skills training)
  • Computer Training Centre
    Office space to meet and serve drop-in clients
  • Vocational and teaching space

Community Engagement

Last fall Brightshores developed a community engagement plan to guide the public relations approach for our new Wellness & Recovery Centre. The first step of this plan was communication with residents living in the immediate vicinity of the new facility (former Bayview Public School). Brightshores project leads have now met and engaged with local residents who have expressed interest.

As the next step in our engagement plan,  on December 15th, Brightshores hosted a Wellness & Recovery Centre Community Education Drop-in Session. The event was well attended with community feedback noted. Brightshores will hold a community presentation on October 2, 2023 at 6:00PM. The event will take place at the Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre in The Bayroom. Learn more here.

Letters to Residents

Read our September 19th letter to residents in the immediate vicinity.

Read our October 7th letter to residents in the immediate vicinity of the new centre.

Wellness & Treatment Centre Frequently Asked Questions

When will this new wellness centre open?

The goal is to have the centre open by late 2023.

Who will staff the new centre?

The staff at our current Withdrawl Management Services program, including those in our Rapid Access to Addictions Medicine clinic on 9th Street in Owen Sound will move to the new centre once it opens. In addition to this staff, we are aiming to recruit 35 more individuals to fill various positions. This is a unique model of care, and because it is new, we are optimistic that we can attract staff who want to join us at the beginning of this journey, and help us develop the programs and services.

Are people going to be living in this facility?

People who have committed to treatment will have the option of staying temporarily in the facility. Day visits will be available for people who want to attend programming or counselling but are not ready to commit to treatment.

How will people access the services? Is it referral only?

Walk-ins and referrals will be accepted.

Come work with us!

As we plan for the opening of this new facility, we have already started the recruitment process. Those who are successful in their application will support current Brightshores Mental Health and Addictions Outpatient Services and transition into the new Centre when it opens in late 2023. To view our list of openings, please visit our Current Opportunities page and filter by the location to Addictions and Mental Health Services – Owen Sound.