Addictions, mental health recovery beds added in Brandon area as province reaches target of 100

It took two years but theManitoba government has reached the finish line ona promise to add100 new beds for people recovering from addictions andmental health problems.

The final nine beds, which are located in Brandon,were announced Thursday byMental Health, Wellness and Recovery Minister Audrey Gordon.

The total cost of the 100 supportive recovery housing beds comes to$2.6 million, Gordon said in a news release.

Supportive recovery housing provides accommodation in a stable, abstinence-focused and recovery-oriented environment for six months to two years.

Activities focus on coaching for daily living, as individuals transition back to community living.

Since the announcement was made to increase the number of beds,70 have been added in Winnipeg through partnerships with Siloam Mission, Riverwood Church Community Inc. and Tamarack Recovery Centre Inc.

Another 12were opened in Thompson,targeting women in the northern region, and ninewith the Community Health and Housing Association Westman Region Inc. for people in Brandon and surrounding area.

Residents are provided with aself-contained apartment or bedroom in a group living space, with shared living and kitchen spaces, basic supportive counselling and case management,service navigation and referrals to community resources,assistance in developing daily living skillsand support to acquire skills to gain employment orfurther their education.

The supportive recovery beds stem fromrecommendations from the VIRGO report and the Illicit Drug Task Force report.

The provinceissued a request for proposals in November 2019 for partners in order to add the bedsto the health-care system.

The latest beds for the Brandon area are through a partnership withYouth For Christ Inc., Gordon said.

"This funding will help our community develop the additional relational supports necessary for long-term recovery. We look forward to serving Westman youth together with our new partners," Dwayne Dyck, executive director of Westman Youth for Christ, said in the province's news release.