Construction has started on a new Red Deer facility to house an expanded program to protect children abusing drugs.
It will replace Red Deer’s temporary five-bed facility with an eight-bed program that will provide comprehensive assessment, detoxification, addictions counselling, health services and 24-hour care and supervision.
“This new build will expand addiction treatment options and enhance services by making them closer to home for more youth aged 12 to 18,” said Laurie Holt, program manager with addiction and mental health at Alberta Health Services’ central zone.
Annually, the facility will be able to serve 170 Central Alberta children and teens, compared to the current facility that treats about 100 youth each year.
The purpose of the program is to help children and youth whose substance use has caused, or is likely to cause, significant physical, psychological or social harm to themselves or physical harm to others, and who are refusing voluntary treatment.
The Protection of Children Abusing Drugs Act took effect July 1, 2006.
The program’s site cannot be identified to protect the safety, privacy and confidentiality of the children and youth at the facility.
AHS also provides addiction prevention, treatment and counselling services and programs within the city of Red Deer and across the central zone.
Crisis services are also available 24 hours a day, seven days a week via the Addiction Help Line, 1-866-332-2322.