Addictions treatment facility not accepting new admissions

A notice from the Saskatchewan Health Authority says as of March 23, the adult and youth treatment programs at the Calder Centre in Saskatoon are closed to new admissions.

The notice says new referrals to the provincial addictions treatment facility for both adult and youth programs will not be accepted until regular programming resumes.

Rand Teed, a drug and alcohol counselor prevention specialist and educator, was atthe centre on Wednesday and confirmed the youth side of the centre was closing except for one section the youth stabilization unit, which the SHA notice said will remain open to new admissions.

"It's a six-bed facility so there is still some support for families with teens that need some help," Teed said.

Pine Lodge in Indian Head, Sask., has also been closed down, he added.

No one from the SHA was available to comment Wednesday evening.

Teed said it is not surprising to him that they closed the facility during the COVID-19 crisis.

"I think it's really difficult to achieve the kind of social distancing you need to not spread the problem in facilities like that," he said.

"Rather than making things worse, it makes sense to move the clients that were there back [to their homes]until this other health issue gets sorted out."

Teed said staff at the centre told him the facility mightbe used for other health needs and thatthe centre's employees would be reassigned to other positions in the health district.

While not ideal, counselors like Teed are trying to make the best of the situation for their patients.

"I would prefer that people were able to stay in treatmentbut these are extraordinary circumstances," he said.

Teed is working with clients to continue their support remotely.

Teed said most of the recovery groups are creating online meetings so they can connect on a regular basis and thatall of the patients will be reconnected with the counsellor who referred them to the centre.

He said counselors will help those clients in whatever way they can in their home environment until they can return to the centre.

"Pine Lodge is gearing up to deliver video treatment modules and stay connected with counselors and try and do the best job they can under the circumstances."