Chatham-Kent Health Alliance Marks Official Opening of Withdrawal Management Service with Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony

CHATHAM-KENT: August 5, 2022 – Today Chatham-Kent Health Alliance (CKHA) celebrated the opening of CKHA’s Withdrawal Management Service at the Chatham Site with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.  The permanent 10-bed unit will officially begin accepting patients on August 10, 2022.

“Today marks a milestone for CKHA and our community with the official opening of our Withdrawal Management Service,” said Lori Marshall, President and CEO.  “We are so pleased to offer evidence-based addiction care and recovery for clients and their families in a modern and safe environment.”

Withdrawal management helps individuals who struggle with substance use, including drugs, alcohol, and/or prescription medications.  It is an evidence based, recovery-oriented, harm reduction approach to drug and alcohol addiction.  CKHA’s Withdrawal Management Service will provide a supportive environment to enable safe withdrawal from substances and initiation of follow-up addictions treatment.

“The harm reduction and recovery-oriented approach offered through CKHA’s Withdrawal Management Service will ensure a safe, supportive environment for individuals requiring these specialized services. The addition of this service to CKHA offers care close to home and eliminates the burden of travel for clients and their families,” said Alan Wildeman, Board Chair, CKHA.

The 10-bed facility will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week at CKHA’s Chatham Site in the former outpatient mental health services building, CKHA’s Rapid Access to Addiction Medicine (RAAM) Clinic has also relocated next to the 10-bed unit, offering co-location of both services and ease of access for clients and their families.  The RAAM Clinic will officially open in its permanent location on August 10, 2022.

“Many of our clients are motivated to make a change and have taken one of the most difficult steps of reaching out for help.  Barriers such as travel to receive care in another community can be very disheartening to experience. Since the announcement of CKHA’s Withdrawal Management Service, it’s been amazing to see the excitement and hope from our clients and their families when they hear that this service is coming to our community,” said Stephanie DeVito, Clinical Supervisor, Outpatient Mental Health and Addictions Programs, CKHA.

“With the official opening of a permanent 10-bed Withdrawal Management Service at CKHA, individuals struggling with addiction will be able to receive the best and most appropriate care.  Offering this service will also reduce the pressure we are experiencing on our acute mental health inpatient program,” said Dr. Dele Oyebode, Chief of Psychiatry and Program Medical Director of Mental Health and Addictions Program, CKHA.

The cost of renovations for the project totals $1.2 Million; successful completion of the project required partnership and support from many stakeholders.  In addition to the $100,000 received from the Ministry of Health for start -up for furnishings and equipment, the municipality of Chatham-Kent supported CKHA’s Withdrawal Management Service through a one-time contribution of $500,000; Chatham-Kent Health Alliance Foundation committed $450,000 towards the completion of renovations – this contribution was inclusive of a $155,000 donation from the United Way of Chatham-Kent; and the Canadian Mental Health Association Lambton Kent donated $150,00 towards the project.  While the 10-bed facility underwent construction, a temporary 3-bed unit began operation within the hospital to offer this service to the community immediately.

“The ongoing mental health and addiction crisis in our community has touched so many lives. As the link between the community and its local hospital sites, we have been overwhelmed by the generosity of our community in supporting this important new mental health service right here in Chatham-Kent,” said Mary Lou Crowley, President and CEO, CKHA Foundation.

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Withdrawal Management Service (WMS) Referral Information:

Clients can access this service by:

• Calling WMS directly at 519.352.6400 Ext. 6740. During this phone call eligibility requirements will be discussed. This line is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• If an individual is unsure if outpatient or bedded addictions treatment is best for them, they can attend our walk-in Rapid Access to Addiction Medicine Clinic (RAAM) to discuss their goals with the RAAM staff. (This clinic is now co-located with WMS at 80 Grand Avenue.)
• For clients with pressing medical needs, please visit our Emergency Department to access admission to WMS.
• For clients that need immediate, low barrier access to outpatient services, please visit our RAAM Clinic: https://www.ckha.on.ca/raam