Catholic Vancouver July 16, 2018
St. Paul’s launches acute care unit in midst of opioid crisis
By Agnieszka Ruck
St. Paul's Hospital HUB was just unveiled today as a way to provide wraparound services to people with mental health challenges and addictions. (Photos courtesy Providence Health Care)
In the midst of B.C.’s crushing opioid crisis, a Catholic health organization has launched a new initiative to treat patients with mental health and addiction issues.
Today, Providence Health Care unveiled the HUB, an acute medical unit with 10 patient beds, three 24-hour nurses, and rapid treatment and stabilization for patients with mental health or substance use issues.
Providence calls it a “protective umbrella of wraparound services” that aims to help patients “no matter where they are on their journey to wellness and hope.”
The specialized unit, opened near the emergency department at St. Paul’s Hospital in downtown Vancouver even includes an Indigenous health team.
Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson said the HUB helps fill a “desperate need” for “more treatment-on-demand” and specialized care.
“Addiction is a health issue, not a criminal one,” he said in a statement. “The HUB at St. Paul’s will help stop the revolving door with mental health and addictions services, filling a critical gap in care for our most vulnerable citizens.”
The City of Vancouver contributed $1 million to the project.
More than 1,400 people died of illicit drug overdoses B.C. in 2017. Of those, the largest number (365) died in Vancouver, and the second largest (176) in Surrey.
St. Paul’s Hospital said it treats the most patients with mental health and substance-use related disorders in B.C., with 11,000 of them coming through its emergency department every year.
The HUB, set up near St. Paul’s emergency department, joins Providence’s recently opened Rapid Access Addiction Clinic (which has treated 2,051 patients since June 1) and its Overdose Prevention Site (which saw 800 visitors and patients since May 7).
Also launched July 17 was the Vancouver Police Foundation Transitional Care Centre, a facility where patients released from the HUB can stay for a short time and connect to housing and income support.
“Mental health and substance abuse are complex, deep-rooted issues for our city,” said Vancouver Police Chief Adam Palmer. He said an anonymous donor gave the Vancouver Police Foundation $750,000 to help alleviate the problem.
“There is an urgent need in Vancouver for integrated services to assist people in crisis.”
The HUB is being praised as the first program of its kind in Canada. The Vancouver Police Foundation Transitional Care Centre is the second of its kind, following St. Michael’s Hospital Rotary Centre in Toronto.
