Recovery Alberta is closing the addiction treatment program at Henwood Treatment Centre in Edmonton, the IJF has learned. The decision to end the program came as a shock to staff and hundreds of Albertans seeking addiction treatment, and the lack of transparency surrounding the closure is fuelling questions about the Alberta government's plans for the site.
The details of Henwood’s closure have not previously been reported.
17 Comments
Phil_in_here@lemmy.ca · 6 pts · 1d
Any bets on Danielle pushing for a new prison and harsher drug enforcement?
phoenixz@lemmy.ca · 2 pts · 1d
Ding ding ding
You won the microwave
schipelblorp@sh.itjust.works · 3 pts · 1d
Anyone been through a in-patient center?
I've visited a few (for a few hours) and didn't get good vibes from them. Seems there are two types: the kinds for rich people that are probably ineffective because they want to to keep you there and comfortable, and the kind for poor people, which are a bit sketchy. I heard one addict say the ideal center is professional but Spartan--a place with good staff, but linoleum floors, a place you're motivated to get out of as soon as possible.
I've also heard of some seriously unethical practices, like centers giving kickback bounties to referring providers.
Wren@lemmy.today · 3 pts · 1d
I've never been to an addiction center, but I've been to mental health facilities with addicts who say they're about the same.
Kickbacks are exactly what's happening. According to the article, some people believe the flooding just gave the government an opportunity to close down the center in favor of privately-run (but publicly funded) recovery communities.
schipelblorp@sh.itjust.works · 3 pts · 1d
And I couldn´t find a good study on recovery rates for addiction centers, though plenty of marketing material (including one that said stays of less than 90-days led to higher relapse rates! 90 days!).
My guess is that outpatient, med-assisted treatment is probably the most effective at the lowest cost. You are living your life and dealing with your daily stressors while you have support from your team. In-patient treatment, where you are completely isolated from your daily life and never learn to deal with it in real-time, seems like a really dumb way to spend money.
Wren@lemmy.today · 3 pts · 1d
Unless these recovery communities are in the patient's existing community, they'd have to move away anyway. That's the problem here, is that there are no effective replacements for the beds lost on Edmonton.
Not only that, but recovery communities can't cover all the complex addiction cases that are comorbid with other disorders - which is often the case. According to what I've read they can't handle patients on multiple medications either.
Having been both an in and out patient, there are good reasons for both. In patient facilities allow staff to more aggressively treat severe cases while you're under constant supervision or to get you out of an unhealthy situation so you can reach a baseline. It's not ideal but it is necessary, and no one should ever be turned away from inpatient treatment just because there aren't enough beds.
schipelblorp@sh.itjust.works · 1 pts · 1d
I agree, if someone needs it... the question is if the lack of beds is due to overprescribing to people who don't need it, or people who stay longer than necessary.
I guess the economic problem is that a treatment being expensive should be disincentive to use it, but it turns into an incentive to market and promote it.
Wren@lemmy.today · 1 pts · 1d
Is overperscribing a problem, though? And how would you determine if someone is staying too long?
I can see overperscribing happening more in recovery communities where private interests get government funding as opposed to CMHA run facilities.
It sounds like the money is there, it's just not going toward effective treatment models.
schipelblorp@sh.itjust.works · 1 pts · 1d
I was going off you agreeing kickbacks might be an issue. If prescribers are getting kickbacks, then, yeah, likely they are overprescribing.
And how do you delegate that decision to someone who has complete information without also having a conflict of interest?
Wren@lemmy.today · 1 pts · 1d
I meant the private companies running the recovery communities get kickbacks. I'm insinuating those companies have some shady partnership with the government which is why Smith's Conservatives support that option over in-patient facilities, and that was part of the motivation for shutting down this center. But I'm going off the article.
I wouldn't know how to decide when an addict is recovered enough to leave rehab, which is why I ask. In in-patient facilities it's usually determined by whether or not your symptoms are stable and you have supports in place for after you leave.
SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca · 3 pts · 1d
The oil industry turns a blind eye to drug abuse in the oil patch then Smith cuts addiction treatment. Alberta wants so hard to be Texas.
homesweethomeMrL@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 1d
Texas. Alberta.phoenixz@lemmy.ca · 2 pts · 1d
Texberta
Alberxas
alltomorrowsregrets@sh.itjust.works · 0 pts · 1d