Addiction treatment in Vancouver should receive a boost thanks to a $5 million dollar grant from Goldcorp Inc. to fund treatment training in British Columbia. The Vancouver-based mining company has previously donated more than $15 million to B.C. organisations in order to fight homelessness and other social issues.
Local Groups Helped by Donation
Goldcorp gave $5 million to two programs serving the addicted and mentally ill populations in the city. $3 million has been designated for use at St. Paul's Hospital, where an addiction medicine training program will be set up. This organization will address the lack of addiction workers in the province, according to the hospital's website. It will also enable St. Paul's to expand its treatment capacity to increase care.
Vancouver Coastal Health's Assertive Community Treatment program (ACT) is the recipient of the remaining $2 million. ACT is a service that provides round-the-clock care to those struggling with mental illness and addiction, helping patients to rehabilitate themselves before finding housing and employment.
Funds will be used to upgrade facilities, as well improve the lives of individuals and their families as they undergo treatment. Much of the donation will be used to provide special training to professionals, with an emphasis on dealing with substance abusers.
Increasing Training Programs for Professionals
"This is something that was needed decades ago," Dr. Evan Wood, a physician at St. Paul's told The Vancouver Sun. "We know that drug and alcohol addiction is a disease and that there are effective treatments that can help people recover and go on to lead productive lives."
The funded programs will help to train qualified physicians, but other workers are needed to fight addictions in the city. Individuals wishing to be an addictions and community services worker need proper training, as well. Learning the fundamentals of addiction and the psychology behind it is the first step toward a career.
Students also need to become educated on interpersonal communication, which helps to form relationships with struggling addicts and their families. All of this training comes together to provide a professional knowledge base for these workers, many of whom are needed at healthcare facilities such as hospitals or treatment organizations.
Those who are interested in finding a role as an addictions and community services worker can first enroll in Addictions and Community Services Worker courses at Vancouver Career College. For more information, fill out the form on the right.