Liam was discharged from the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre’s substance use and concurrent disorders program on March 26.
The 22-year-old, whose last name Global News is not using for privacy reasons, was four weeks into a six-week inpatient stay when the program announced it was closing because of the new coronavirus outbreak.
The early discharge was an unwelcome shock, says Liam, but one he’s been able to adjust to because he has a supportive family willing to give him a safe place to stay.
He’s more worried about the other people alongside whom he was receiving treatment. “There are a number of people who have extremely unstable housing situations … and virtually no external support,” Liam says. “One of the biggest parts of recovery,