Province announces 18 new addiction treatment spaces for Saskatoon

The Government of Saskatchewan has announced 18 new addiction treatment spaces in Saskatoon.

Eight of the new spots are for youths between the ages of 14 and 21. The other 10 are for adults, and the recovery program offered at the new spaces is 12 weeks long.

Tanner Perratt is co-founder of Possibilities Recovery Centre, the organization managing the new spaces. He said that a person in the youth program can be moved to the adult program if it’s seen as the right fit, and vice versa.

“We really look at the cognitive ability of the person and where would they fit,” said Perratt. “So within the 12 weeks, if we start them in the youth program and realize that they’re not a good fit because they’re maybe a little bit too mature, yes, we will move them to the adult program.”

The new spaces are also offering virtual programming sessions to help people who aren’t living in Saskatoon.

Perratt said the virtual sessions use a smart-conferencing camera that sits in the middle of the room and will incorporate a person into the in-person group.

He noted that there are still some challenges that come with the virtual option.

“It’s a little bit more difficult to get the feel of the group. There’s an energy concept that takes place in a group of people,” said Perratt. “You don’t necessarily get (that) if you are virtual.”

But while there are challenges, there are also benefits, and Perratt said the benefit of being able to help anyone across the province is worth it.

Perratt said that they also check up on the people who have completed their recovery plans.

“The people that complete our program, we follow up with them as best we can,” said Perratt.

“So far, our success rate has been about 70 per cent.”

Tim McLeod, Saskatchewan’s minister of mental health and addictions, said the provincial government is investing a total of $518 million for mental health and addiction services in its new, five-year action plan. The plan is supported by further funding of $49.4 million when it reaches its fifth year.

McLeod said the new spaces will allow Possibilities Recovery Saskatoon staff to enhance its services in a big way.

“The strategy here is to build capacity within the system to create a centralized intake system that’s easier to access,” said McLeod.

A total of 80 treatment spaces have so far been added across the province through the new plan, including virtual outpatient spaces through EHN Canada and post-treatment spaces at St. Joseph Addiction Recovery Centre in Estevan.