Saskatchewan addiction treatment centres shift to online services during COVID-19 pandemic

Some of the province’s addiction treatment centres are closing their doors and shifting to online and phone services until the COVID-19 pandemic is over.

Although this move will make it more difficult for those suffering from addictions to get the help they need, University of Saskatchewan addictions expert, Dr. Peter Butt, says there might be a silver lining to it.

“It’s obviously a concern and we are trying to maintain services as much as possible through the telephone and other forms of media but it’s not the same as having somebody actively engaged in treatment. So some people might be able to navigate this and other people it’s going to be a real struggle and we may lose them and hopefully they’ll be there and want to reengage later,” said Butt.

Saskatoon’s Calder Centre shut its doors last week, and Butt sees an opportunity in moving to online operations.

“One of the advantages, on the other hand is this might be an opportunity for people to explore online recovery supports and services that they perhaps weren’t aware of in the past and add that to their own personal toolbox of supports,” he said.

“So my hope is that being more aware of what’s out there, online, will actually create a larger audience and a larger conversation using that medium.”

According to a Saskatchewan Health Authority spokeswoman, which treatment centres are closing down is decided on a “local level or a case-by-case basis.”

As for the Calder Centre, she says it is currently closed to new admissions but “patients who are currently in our care will continue to complete their treatment.”

Patients who had an upcoming admission date will be reached out to by phone and will be prioritized once regular programming resumes.

However the Calder Centre’s youth detox program is still accepting new clients and will remain open for the time being.

Also remaining open is Saskatoon’s Brief and Social Detox Unit. Additional precautions are being taken including screening clients at the door and reducing the number of beds in the facility.

According to Butt, there are significant risks for the treatment centre patients and workers whether they close or stay open, but it’s still too early to tell if this is the right choice.

“It’s a hard one to weigh at this point. I think as the pandemic proceeds and we get more and more people ill and we start to have fatalities it will start to put this into a different perspective,” he said.

“And certainly the people that are more at risk of dying from COVID-19 are people that have other lung conditions or perhaps they are in ill health because of HIV or years on the street or something like that, so some folks in need of this service are also the ones that are at heightened risk if they get the virus.”