Island Health is hoping to bring a new sobering bed program to downtown Duncan by the end of this year.
It’s the first of its kind in Cowichan Valley, and will consist of four to six beds that people age 17 and up can access when experiencing intoxication due to drugs or alcohol.
With the province’s commitment to create an additional five hundred beds in BC, four to six of those could be coming to Cowichan Valley. Island Health Project Manager for Mental Health and Substance Use Shana Hall says the sobering bed program meets clients where they are at.
Hall says what was wonderful about working with Cowichan Valley was the committed and passionate community members are about taking care of each other, and advocating for this facility.
Island Health is accepting bids in the next five weeks for interested proponents who can own and operate this program in a location within walking distance from Downtown Duncan. Similar models that have been successful can be found in Victoria and Surrey.
