Despite a significant “sweetener,” the Day One Society which runs the Phoenix Center detox facility in Kamloops is still struggling to hire full-time staff for its youth detox wing.
Executive Director Sian Lewis says they are still short three full-time nurses.
“The reason that we were able to open is because we’ve been fortunate in our partnership with a couple of nursing agencies in the province,” said Lewis. “These are folks who come and work with us just for a limited stretch of time.”
The Day One Society posted for the positions at the start of the year, with a $20,000 signing bonus attached to a full-time contract.
It comes as Lewis says demand for their services remains high.
“A minimum of approximately 25 people [on their waiting list]. It can be more. It can be less,” noted Lewis. “It’s really driven by what’s happening out in the community. What are the drugs that are out there. Are they dangerous?”
With the opening of the youth detox beds in February, the Phoenix Center is currently able to treat 25 people at a time.
Lewis says they are treating younger people for a variety of addictions.
“The number one choice for young people that is reflected in our particular statistics is still cannabis, with alcohol,” said Lewis. “But now youths are also getting into opioids, crystal meth, cocaine. The struggle is that fentanyl sometimes is mixed into substances, and these young people aren’t even aware of it.”
The struggle to hire comes as the Day One Society awaits word from the BC government as to whether or not approvals will be granted to open a new sobering center attached to their facility on the grounds of Royal Inland Hospital.