A new way of doing things at the local detox centre is helping the entire community, say officials with the St. Joseph's Care group.
The Balmoral Centre was turning nearly 1,000 people away every year because its seven crisis beds were always full. But the centre also had 15 beds for treatment that weren't always being used.
Six months ago the group received nearly $1 million to have a nurse on staff 24 hours a day. That has allowed the centre to now use all 22 beds for crisis and treatment.
The centre has been able to take in 20 per cent more patients as a result.
It has also led to a 42 per cent decrease in the number of substance abuse issues local police have had to deal with and has seen transfers from the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre up 30 per cent now that it has medical staff on site.
It is also helping cut down on unnecessary hospital admissions.
"That's a huge in terms of bed days in a hospital," St. Joseph's concurrent disorders director Nancy Black said.
The centre was built in 1989 and was originally intended to help people with alcohol withdrawal.
From multiple substance abuse issues to chronic health problems the needs of the community changed but the centre couldn't change with it.
The new program has been able to process people faster, stabilize them faster and provide a lot more help than what could previously be offered.
"It really has been a privilege to serve individuals who are in my mind very courageous," Black said.
The data is only from the first three months of the program.
Black said the successful numbers will probably get even better over time. She also credits programs like Shelter House's alcohol management and the Thunder Bay drug strategy with the success.
