Crossroads Closing

[Triple 6]

http://www.castanet.net/edition/news-st ... .htm#85631

A sea of red ink has forced Crossroads Alcohol and Drug Treatment Centre to close its doors permanently.

The centre, which has operated for 37 years, will wind down its operations over the next 90 days.

The Board of Directors made the announcement at a news conference Wednesday morning.

The society that runs the centre says it owes $1.3M to the bank plus grants that total another $300,000.

It is estimated the centre would lose $30,000 per month in 2013 alone.

In order to keep the facility open in 2013, Crossroads required $132 per bed (38 beds) per day. Interior Health was offering $92 per bed per day.

The treatment centre will close in 90 days with the detox centre following shortly thereafter, once all current clients complete their programs.

"It is a very sad day for all of us at Crossroads. For our clients and what would have been our future clients, for our dedicated and talented staff who have poured their hearts and souls into this centre over the years," says Executive Director, Shelley Gilmour.

"We intend to do everything we can to ensure we can meet our commitments and obligations to them as we begin winding down the operations as a result of this closure of our services."

The closing of Crossroads three centres, men's Treatment Centre, Women's Treatment Centre and Detox, will also result in the loss of 69 full-time, part-time and casual jobs.

Board President, Alan Sanderson says the decision was not an easy one to make but, after a year of trying to turn it around, it was one the board had to make.

"The current service model and ongoing funding challenges left us with concerns about the integrity of our programs and the safety and security of our clients and staff," says Sanderson.

"Additionally, we had to put an end to the increasing debt the Society is accumulating. The years of funding challenges and the loss of other revenue streams put the Society into a precarious situation."

The centre's three facilities will be put up for sale.

The board says it hopes something new, and possibly different, will rise from the closure of Crossroads.

[Phoenix Within]

The closing of Crossroads three centres, men's Treatment Centre, Women's Treatment Centre and Detox, will also result in the loss of 69 full-time, part-time and casual jobs.

Job losses aside, this is going to be a social nightmare in the making.

[Piecemaker]

The social nightmare already exists, it's just now going to be much more difficult to wake up from it.
Signs of economic times. Fewer resources and supports for social and health programs.

[twofingers]

Maybe if Interior Health had more administrative staff and more offices.............

[Piecemaker]

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.

[theyeti]

crossroads has helped a lot of ppl over the yrs . they deserve respect for the help they tried to give . some did well there some fell back into old habits but crossroads tried to help them all .

i remember bringing one of my friends in there they tried to help him

[Queen K]

However, perhaps if funding could have been found from the Okanagan Foundation, Crossroads would be saved?
We've truly shockingly stepped backwards here.

[Piecemaker]

It will be a major loss to our community for sure. While the nature of addictions often make treatment like a revolving door, there are many who received the help they needed when they needed it and remain in recovery.
I would imagine that KGH foundation funding has to be spent on KGH programs. I don't know what the Okanagan Foundation's mandate/focus is. At the end of the day though, isn't it really robbing Peter to pay Paul?
There is much need everywhere.

[W105]

yes, kind of sad that there is funding available for Injection Sites and Crack Kits for the Addict to keep on using ...but they won't fund a Rehab (pretty sure they could find that extra $40 per bed somewhere) so a person can get sober and become a productive member of society...this world lacks Common Sense sometimes....

[SurplusElect]

Lots of money to bust "street level" dealers every 6 months, helicopters looking for hippies and grow-op squads.

They have the money to jail you, but not to help you.

[Queen K]

I hear you about Peter/Paul.

Maybe pushers/ drug dealers need stiffer penalties, gangs need to be shut down regardless of civil rights and Canada gets more serious about protecting our borders from imports of cocaine, herion and the like.

"Just say no" doesn't work apparently.

For some reason those in the richest society in the world has a need to be stoned/high/blitzed/wasted. And again I ask why?

[SurplusElect]

yes, kind of sad that there is funding available for Injection Sites and Crack Kits for the Addict to keep on using ...but they won't fund a Rehab (pretty sure they could find that extra $40 per bed somewhere) so a person can get sober and become a productive member of society...this world lacks Common Sense sometimes....

Give your head a shake, safe injection sites saved at least 25 peoples lives last year.

The government spent 10 times the amount of money that Crossroads needed on lawyers trying to close Insite down.

[SurplusElect]

Maybe pushers/ drug dealers need stiffer penalties, gangs need to be shut down regardless of civil rights and Canada gets more serious about protecting our borders from imports of cocaine, herion and the like.

They hang dealers in Texas and I can get drugs anywhere in that state. Try again.

Regardless of civil rights? To even say something like that is ludicrous, let alone believe it.

More serious about the border? I can get heroin in any Canadian Maximum security prison. Try again.

[W105]

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

[LyricalOne]

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!