Crossroads Closing

[GenuinelyInterested]

don't forget all the Free Methadone they give out daily...

FREE?????? Who pays for it? Somebody has to pay for it. Nothing is EVER FREE.

[phasyluck]

I wonder if the city of Kelowna coulda helped or can? How much was the pedestrian overpass that was completely pointless in my opinion....2mil? City art work made of 150k a piece fancy wire and steel? HOV lane thats a complete joke? Just a few bucks I can think of if the city was ever to be involved in a place like Crossroads, then again....art is more important than drug addiction.

[W105]

sorry, you're right it is not Free...I should have said Funded by the Taxpayers

[Queen K]

And I should have said, "if I was King for a day...." but that's why a king had to sign the Magna Carta.

So drug pushers/dealer/purveyers will always have access to your kids and the law protects them more than the kids. Because why isn't there a law requiring a way out, a safe, warm place for those who want to dry out and change their lives back to what it used to be? A law requiring a Crossroads type place to be open 24/7 and mandate be damned, someone funds it?

But someone is funding courts, lawyers, jails, hospitals, walk-in clinics, methadone programs, RCMP and social workers right?

[Piecemaker]

I am deeply saddened to see that this resource is now facing the same reality the Drop-In centre faced two/three years back. Yes, I know this is not the nicest of topics and that most people want to point a finger and blame whoever and whatever for the issues that surround addiction and mental health (at ALL levels) but the truth of the matter is, the issues are there, they are ever increasing and no matter what service is closed down, the "issues" will not go away. Homelessness, addictions, mental and physical health issues are increasing at an alarming rate as are the poverty level(s). Taking away and/or not supporting the resources that minimize the ipact to overall community is only going to create an increase in petty theft, violence and acts of desperation.

For all of the staff at Crossroads,thank you for all your hard work over the years. I know that my staff and I truly appreciated the good working dynamic we had developed and the resource(s) you provided even when you were stretched so thin. I am saddened to see this resource not being supported and that funding is once again, not being properly allocated to where the needs are most desperately required.

As well, for all those people that you were able to help turn their lives around, thank you.....your services were life saving and I know many of them have told you this...take heart in the good work and accomplishments you have achieved over the years!

Well said.

[Queen K]

Crossroads Treatment Society is a non-profit organization and not run by Interior Health.

Their funding would come from multiple sources. Since they are not a treament centre for the "stars", they would receive basic funding for the clients they serve. Interior Health has set rates budgeted for out-patient services. They cannot make up the short fall because they themselves have to operate within fiscal guidelines. (Offices and staff costs come from another part of the budget.)
Many non-profit organizations are struggling to keep their doors open. This is not new.

True, but why offer so little, $93 dollars/bed as per the article when they knew other revenue streams dried up? Why not just up the funding and keep a segment of those needing healthcare out of the overstrained ER?

This is robbing Peter so as not to pay Paul.

Someone pays.

[Piecemaker]

Queenie: I would imagine that Interior Health has a budget allocation, in line with others in the province, for this service. Health services "buy" services from various agencies, many of which are non-profit societies. They can't just open the doors and start making up for the shortfalls that so many of these non-profits are facing. Income Assistance also contributes toward treatment costs. I set amount per year per client, if needed. We could just as easily argue that "welfare" should pay more. There are employment benefit packages that contribute a certain amount toward addictions treatment, we could suggest that those insurance companies pay more.

In respone to others here: The City of Kelowna does not fund Crossroads. It is a non-profit society, of which there are many in this city. By way of the reasoning of some on this forum if for example, there is a family who can't afford to pay their rent/mortgage this month then everyone who pays gym fees should have to put that money toward those who can't pay for housing. Yeah, I know...the two aren't remotely connected!
Money from taxation and other revenue is allocated for various services by those we elect, or those who are hired by who we elect, to do such things. Non-profits may receive some funding from various levels of government, but they develop their own mandate and service provision. Many have diversified sources of funding as to not be reliant upon any one source.
It is terrible that Crossroads is closing their doors, but it is not the fault of the government, the RCMP, drug dealers or my Aunt Lillian!
Certainly, an area of the province the size of ours needs detox and treatment for addictions. KGH certainly doesn't have the resources presently to deal with detoxing patients. And we can bet that it costs more, significantly more, to treat someone detoxing at KGH than it does at Crossroads. There is also a need for treatment to be available immediately after detox and there is already a province-wide shortage of treatment beds.
Perhaps the Board of Directors for Crossroads, with the support of Interior Health and other community agencies with related mandates, will be able to restructure/downsize the services and programs offered by Crossroads so that the door can remain open to provide those services that are presently not offered, or able to be absorbed, by other service providers here. The closure of Crossroads will be a significant loss to our community.

[GenuinelyInterested]

I wonder if the city of Kelowna coulda helped or can? How much was the pedestrian overpass that was completely pointless in my opinion....2mil? City art work made of 150k a piece fancy wire and steel? HOV lane thats a complete joke? Just a few bucks I can think of if the city was ever to be involved in a place like Crossroads, then again....art is more important than drug addiction.

WHO paid for the overpass? Hint: Private $$$

Why should the city and it's residents pick-up the tab for a druggie's rehab? Was the city or it's residents responsible for causing the addiction?

IF so, how?

[theyeti]

i agree crossroads is a needed service in our area . please good ppl who fund crossroads find a way to keep it open . ill bring 20 bucks down in the morning if that helps

[Queen K]

Piece, I get it. It's just that the taxpayer is going to be paying anyways, big time. And it doesn't matter what the budget allocation is, the parameters have to be moved. Like moving the goal posts to suit the new game.

So what has Kelowna, the supposed richest city next to Vancouver lost?

Women's Center.
Crossroads.
Drop-In.

Hmm, I see a pattern here, keep kicking down the poor and needy.

[cutter7]

Crossroads Treatment Society is a non-profit organization and not run by Interior Health. Their funding would come from multiple sources. Since they are not a treament centre for the "stars", they would receive basic funding for the clients they serve. Interior Health has set rates budgeted for out-patient services. They cannot make up the short fall because they themselves have to operate within fiscal guidelines. (Offices and staff costs come from another part of the budget.)
Many non-profit organizations are struggling to keep their doors open. This is not new.

Interior health provides most of the funding for crossroads

[Queen K]

IHA provides $92 bux per/bed per day.

Crossroads needs $132 bux/bed per day.

This whole thing is going down over $40 bux per day?

Seriously?

[theyeti]

why dont they pass around a hat at the next rockets game ???

[Catz]

why dont they pass around a hat at the next rockets game ???

What the hell does that have anything to do with this?

[johnhenry]

This whole thing is going down over $40 bux per day?

Per bed ( 38 beds )