New addiction recovery centre opening in Dartmouth

A support centre for those recovering from substance and gambling addictions is opening in Dartmouth next week.

The centre, located at 45 Alderney Dr. near the downtown public library, opens January 25. 

The public can access support and services by visiting the centre or by calling the Mental Health and Addictions Intake Service. It will run Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m, but hours could change with COVID-19 numbers.

Some more intensive in-hospital withdrawal care, such as opioid-use disorder treatment, will be provided. The centre will mostly provide support for patients discharged from in-hospital withdrawal care and those in need of less intensive care for addiction recovery.

“We are seeing, across Canada, increases in alcohol and substance use and worsening of chronic mental health conditions,” said Deborah Purvis, communications advisor for Nova Scotia Health. 

Services will include in-person assessments, group programming, and recovery and harm reduction supports. On-site withdrawal support and one-on-one programming will be added in the coming months.

“We need to do better by those living with addictions,” said Brian Comer, minister responsible for the Office of Addictions and Mental Health, in a release. 

“This new centre will provide support to those who don’t require around-the-clock inpatient care and can safely and successfully recover from addictions while remaining at home and in their community.”

Community is a big focus of the new facility. 

The hope is the centre will become a community hub, a space where people can not only receive care from nurses and staff but be supported by others recovering from addiction. The centre will link people to care based on their individual needs.

The Recovery Support Centre will incorporate a transdisciplinary team including a team lead, nurse practitioners, social workers, and administrative staff. The province is recruiting nurses and social workers. 

Over the next two years, more recovery support centres are expected to open in Truro, Cape Breton and Halifax.