Family of B.C. man killed by toxic drugs donates $20M to treatment program

fentanyl overdose less than a week before the appointment.“Some people say the system is simply broken. But the truth is, the system we need doesn’t even exist,” she said.The Diamond family, well known for their philanthropy around the province, is donating $20 million towards a new model for addictions treatment based out of Vancouver’s St.

Paul’s Hospital.Called Road to Recovery, the 95-bed program aims to streamline the process for someone working their way through withdrawal management, inpatient recovery-focused care, transitional housing and outpatient treatment.“We don’t want people to be forced to endure agonizing waitlists while navigating different resources at different places at different times,” Diamond said at the donation announcement on Monday.“Instead, we aim to cut weeks or months off waiting lists within a full spectrum of treatment services all in one location — seamless, centralized — setting a new standard across Canada.”Dr.

Seonaid Nolan with Providence Health Care, a program partner, said intake and access to addiction services will be centralized to improve communication between service providers and referrals will be co-ordinated.“It’s about increasing treatment capacity, but more importantly, a re-organization and developing a comprehensive co-ordinated treatment system for people so that they can receive the right level of support that they require when needed,” she said.The province has committed $60.9 million over three years toward the program’s operating costs.Fiona Dalton, president of Providence Health Care, said the donation from the Diamond Foundation was a “catalyst” to getting the province on board.“We were able to go to the government with this really fundamental new way of working.