Everything has been running smoothly at the Wakamow Manor detoxification centre.
“We have great feedback from the community,” said program director Chad Topp. “We have social educational programming throughout the whole day that helps the individuals build a structure and routine in their lives and provide them a stable base in the start of their recovery in their detox.”
In the almost nine months since the centre opened on April 2 at the former Ina Grafton Gage seniors’ facility at 200 Iroquois St. E., he said it has served 303 clients, all there voluntarily. Topp added there is a 70 per cent success rate of people who make it through the 10 to 14 day detox program. The centre is run by the Thunder Creek Rehabilitation Association Inc. and is funded through the Five Hills Health Region.
Prior to the renovation of the Ina Grafton Gage facility was complete, there was quite a bit of concern in the community. But Topp said there have only been two or three minor complaints since the facility opened. For example, he said one of those complaints was to be respectful of the language used on the deck breaks.
“I do have an open-door policy so it does allow members from the community to come in and speak to me about any matter,” said Topp. “We have a community advisory group ... they have nothing bad to say. So they feel they just weren’t properly educated on what a detox centre was (when it was announced).”
For more information, see the Dec. 28 edition of the Times-Herald.
