REHAB HOMES TO BE INSPECTED

The B.C. government is establishing a task force to investigate
unlicensed recovery homes for drug and alcohol addicts and health
officials hope the outcome will allow more of them to spring up in
the province.

Alan Campbell, director for mental health and addictions services
with the Vancouver Island Health Authority, said VIHA has appointed a
representative for the task force and expects discussions will begin
in September.

"We have very few facilities for addictions recovery. That's the case
everywhere in B.C."

He said Nanaimo has two main service providers, Clearview Centre and
Surfside Recovery Home.

Campbell said support homes have developed in different ways due to
lack of regulation, but that VIHA has not received any complaints
about them. He hopes the task force will find a way to introduce
standards while allowing more of them to start up.

"The problem of drug use is a big problem on the Island and we have
been trying to get more resources," he said.

Mike Bradshaw, director of communications with Fraser Health, said
since the Registrar of Assisted Living has just completed a review of
contracted elder care facilities, the government is doing an
inventory of Level 1 recovery houses.

"There are hundreds throughout British Columbia," said Bradshaw. Of
those homes, he said, only 30 of them are registered.

"They're essentially creating an inventory of these houses and an
inventory of the standard and care that these homes offer. [The task
force] will report out before the end of the year with recommendations."

Bradshaw describes the recovery homes under review as basic room and
board facilities with some counselling offered, but no clinical services.

The task force is made up of addictions experts, representatives from
each health authority, the Ministry of Health and the Registrar of
Assisted Living.

"Clearly there's a role for them, it's a matter of figuring out what
that role should be," he said. "Because these homes aren't regulated,
no one has jurisdiction over the standard of care that is to be provided."

In 1998, Bradshaw said the province put in place legislation with
stringent requirements for licensing of recovery establishments.

In 2002, this legislation was rescinded and in 2004, the Community
Care and Assisted Living Act did not include standards for Level 1
recovery homes.