More Recovery Support Centres Open

Walk-in recovery centres for substance use and gambling support are now available across the province.

A celebration was hosted in Truro today, August 25, at one of the newest locations to open, along with Amherst, Springhill and Yarmouth. Twelve support centres are open, onboarding staff and offering supports and services in their communities.

“I’m proud of the work our healthcare partners are doing every day to make a difference in people’s lives. Having recovery support centres throughout the province means that people facing addiction have more access to critical supports and services closer to home,” said Brian Comer, Minister of Addictions and Mental Health. “This is one more way we’re making universal access to mental health and addictions care a reality here in Nova Scotia.”

Recovery support centres offer a variety of services depending on community need, staff at these centres can include physicians, nurses, social workers and administrative support. Services can include:

• in-person assessments
• group programs
• harm reduction support
• recovery support.

Recovery support centre teams help people develop recovery and relapse prevention plans while building skills to cope with cravings and improve overall wellness. They also connect people to other important services such as inpatient withdrawal management and community-based supports.

With a focus on providing support close to home, expanding service options within the public healthcare system is part of government’s work to build universal access to mental health and addictions care.

Quotes:

“Our vision over the last three years has been to build an equitably accessible, low-barrier model of care based in community settings. From North Sydney to Yarmouth, Nova Scotians living with addictive disorders and their loved ones have access to care that addresses their unique needs and is delivered by a multidisciplinary team with expertise in managing addiction.”
— Dr. Dave Martell, physician lead, addictions medicine, Mental Health and Addictions Program, Nova Scotia Health

Quick Facts:

• recovery support centres supported more than 2,293 unique clients over 11,433 visits across the province as of June 30
• walk-in services are available across the province, with hours varying and expanding as clinical teams grow
• appointments can be made by calling the provincial mental health and addictions intake service at 1-855-922-1122 or booking at https://prebooking.nshealth.ca/
• Nova Scotians can also call the centres directly for information or make an appointment
• recovery support centres are also supporting clients in Dartmouth, Evanston (Richmond County), Halifax, Lunenburg, Middleton, New Glasgow, North Sydney and Sydney

Additional Resources:

More information on recovery support centres is available at: https://mha.nshealth.ca/en/services/recovery-support-centre

News release – New Centre for Addictions Care in Halifax: https://news.novascotia.ca/en/2024/06/12/new-centre-addictions-care-halifax

News release – New Centre for Addictions Care in North Sydney: https://news.novascotia.ca/en/2024/03/19/new-centre-addictions-care-north-sydney