16 Oct Waitlists Are Growing in Alberta for Treatment Centres
Alberta waitlists for government-funded rehab centres are so long that people are losing their battle to addiction while waiting for treatment.
Andy Bhatti, a professional Canadian interventionist, says providing Alberta residents with the opportunity for a private invention allows them to get into a treatment centre earlier.
“As Alberta’s petroleum industry moves through a period of unprecedented growth, northern communities are finding themselves increasingly swamped by alcoholism and drug abuse,” Andy explains.
Professional drug and alcohol abuse experts say the problem has reached epidemic proportions, forcing police detachments, social services and oil companies to come up with new approaches. These include private detox and treatment centres and drug and alcohol interventionists like Andy.
“I provide interventions in Alberta because the demand is increasing. With the fentanyl and the opioid and cocaine crisis in Alberta, it makes it the second worst province in Canada for drug addiction. The province is also in the top three provinces with the worst available resources.”
With the growing number of people addicted to Fentanyl in Alberta, the fear that having to wait for a bed in a government-funded rehab centre will end with an overdose and funeral is forming.
Many addicts in bigger cities like Calgary are waiting anywhere from 6 weeks to 12 months for a bed.
When someone in need of treatment contacts Andy, he does an initial consultation over the phone to see if he’s the right interventionist. After the consultation, and a review of family history, Andy will fly to the family to carry out a customized treatment and intervention plan.
Andy has the ability to get the addict into the right treatment centre for them in little to no time compared to those waiting for public healthcare facilities.
The province of Alberta says it is doing what can be done to shorten wait times. In 2016, 50 new treatment beds were opened and a $3-million grant was provided to Alberta Health Services. This money was used to open more opioid-replacement treatment clinics that provide methadone or suboxone as a treatment to stabilize people in an outpatient setting.
While these changes are needed and have helped, Andy says it hasn’t done enough.
“Every time I do an intervention for an Alberta client I bring them to British Columbia because the waitlists are not as long. This allows them to receive treatment and create a sober life sooner than those who wait for a bed in Alberta.”
If you or a loved one are on an Alberta waitlist for treatment, stop waiting. Instead of continuing the possibility of overdose with every drug or drink you or a loved one takes, Andy Bhatti can help get you into recovery sooner.
To learn more about the services Andy offers or to book a consultation, contact us today.