Interior Health is setting up a new supervised drug consumption site in downtown Kamloops.
The health authority is consolidating some primary care, mental health, and substance use services that are already available in the city into a facility at 235 Lansdowne Street.
“This is an important development to better connect people to important health-care services and support them in moving toward wellness,” Interior Health said in a March 21 letter to nearby businesses.
“We fully anticipate this will be a positive development for the community. Interior Health Mental Health and Substance Use services is already a long time tenant of this building and we are committed to continuing to be a good neighbour.”
The current supervised consumption site in Kamloops is located in an RV that is parked beside the Crossroads Inn at 6th Avenue and Seymour Street.
Other details about this upcoming move – including a date when it might open – is not yet known, but Interior Health expects to release more information on Monday, March 28.
“We will take a phased approach in moving programs and services under one roof, including primary care services, outreach, mental health and substance use treatment and supervised consumption services,” the letter said.
“The site is currently home to many of our mental health and substance use services and will be undergoing renovations to accommodate the integration of programs currently operating in various locations across town.”
New preliminary data from the BC Coroners Service shows there were a record 11 illicit drug toxicity deaths in Kamloops in January of this year. It comes on the back of a record year last year, where there were 77 such deaths in Kamloops.