House of Friendship receives addiction funding

Addiction Services Director Pam McIntosh shares a few comments at the Nov. 9 WWLHIN funding announcement.

House of Friendship was one of several local agencies that received additional funding from the Waterloo-Wellington Local Health Integrated Network to address the current opioid crisis.

The announcement of $2.3-million in funding was made on Thursday, Nov. 9 at Margaret’s Centre of Hope, House of Friendship’s centre for women’s addiction services. Of the $2.3-million, House of Friendship received the lion’s share, $809,800.

The money will be used to help set up rapid access clinics for individuals seeking help to break free from addiction. Instead of waiting weeks to get into a treatment program, those seeking treatment can get immediate help, including medication to help manage withdrawal symptoms.

The rapid access clinics will serve both Kitchener and Cambridge, and each will be staffed with an addictions physician, peer support worker and counsellor with expertise in community withdrawal management. Each clinic will operate two days a week within the two communities. The exact locations of the clinics are still to be determined.

House of Friendship is also receiving additional one-time funding to provide enhanced services and supports for pregnant women struggling with substance use, as well as funding for residential addictions treatment expansion and enhancement, including follow-up care.

Other Waterloo Region agencies that received funding to help address the opioid crisis include Grand River Hospital, the Canadian Mental Health Association and the eHealth Centre of Excellence.