Province announces new youth treatment centres

P.E.I. will establish a 12-bed addictions centre for youth in Summerside, and a 12-bed mental health centre for youth in Charlottetown,Health Minister Doug Currie announced Friday.

The province will spend $9 million over three years on the centres.

Our government is committed to ensuring Islanders have better access to mental health and addictions services, and particularly our youth, said Currie.

The centre in Summerside will be located at the current Young Offenders Centre. Planning is underway for an $800,000 redesign of the facility. The centre will open in the spring.

The location of the Charlottetown centre has not yet been decided. It could be at either the Queen Elizabeth Hospital or the Hillsborough Hospital.

The announcement increases the number of mental health beds for youth from four to 12. That expansion will require $750,000 in renovations.

The existing Strength program for youth addictions will be expanded and relocated to Summerside. The 12-bed facility will offer up to 18 weeks of around-the-clock residential care. The new centre will also offer up to 24 weeks of community-based aftercare, up from the current 20 weeks.