Detox centre ready but staffing challenges persist

Peter McMullen’s decade-long struggle with addiction gives him insight into the challenges Lighthouse Mission hopes to address with a new Main Street detox facility focused on connecting people with longer-term treatment.

McMullen, executive director of Lighthouse Mission, knows how difficult it can be to navigate Winnipeg’s addiction treatment system, particularly when someone is ready to seek help but the services they need aren’t immediately available.

Now, after years of planning and a lengthy renovation of two century-old buildings, the downtown organization is preparing to open a 10-bed detox facility at 667 and 669 Main St., with five beds each for men and women.

The facility could begin accepting clients as early as November, provided Lighthouse Mission can overcome one final hurdle: recruiting enough staff to operate it.

For McMullen, the opening represents an opportunity to address what he sees as a critical gap in the city’s addiction treatment system — not simply a shortage of detox beds, but a lack of support connecting people with longer-term treatment once they have worked through their withdrawal.

“This is our focus, to be transitioning people from detox into programs. That’s where change is going to happen in the city,” he said.

The shortage of detox beds can be particularly devastating for people who have reached a point where they are ready to seek treatment, McMullen said.

Someone may have already been accepted into a residential treatment program, he explained, but cannot begin until they have completed detox. Finding an available bed can mean repeated phone calls and days of waiting, during which the opportunity to get someone into treatment may be lost.

“When they’re ready, we need to be ready,” McMullen said.

His perspective is informed by his own experience.

McMullen spent roughly a decade struggling with addiction before entering the Adult & Teen Challenge program in October 2018. He said his experience with detox services showed him how easily people could find themselves back where they started, even after successfully detoxing.

He recalled receiving care at a local detox program, where he was provided a bed, meals and a safe environment to recover physically. But as his stay neared its end, he faced the prospect of returning to the streets without a clear plan for what came next.

Although he was given information about treatment programs and encouraged to apply, McMullen said he lacked the guidance and support needed to navigate the next steps.

He eventually entered Adult & Teen Challenge, an experience he credits with changing the direction of his life.

Lighthouse Mission’s approach will emphasize helping clients identify and enter appropriate treatment programs while they are still receiving detox services.

McMullen said staff will work with clients to develop a plan for what happens after their stay, rather than leaving them to navigate the system alone.

The new facility represents a significant expansion for Lighthouse Mission, which has served Winnipeg’s inner city for more than a century.

Founded in 1911, the organization began operating as a soup kitchen during the Great Depression and has continued providing meals to people in need.

The detox project involved extensive renovations to two heritage-protected buildings on Main Street, including previously unused floors.

The mission initially secured approximately $2.4 million in federal funding through the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings program, but unexpected construction problems added costs and delayed completion.

McMullen said crews discovered both buildings needed new roofs, while one exterior wall required structural reinforcement. A flood also set construction back by another month.

What was initially expected to be a 12- to 13-month project stretched to roughly 18 months, followed by additional delays before the organization received occupancy approval in late spring.

The renovations are now complete, and McMullen said the building is ready for the detox program.

Staffing, however, remains a huge challenge.

Lighthouse Mission currently has eight employees and is looking to expand its workforce to approximately 23 to accommodate the new program.

The organization is recruiting a detox program manager and supervisor, with plans to hire addiction support workers and a part-time nurse.

McMullen said the response to the initial job postings has been disappointing, forcing the organization to push its anticipated October opening into November.

The expansion also brings financial challenges.

McMullen said Lighthouse Mission has not secured provincial operating funding for the detox program, despite reaching out to the Manitoba government seeking support. He said he was directed to watch for future government tenders for addiction services.

A government spokesperson said Friday they’re grateful for the partnerships they already have in the sector.

“Our door is always open to forming more of these partnerships that help create more connections to wellness in our communities, and we are committed to supporting these community organizations while we work to bring more treatment options and recovery spaces across Manitoba,” the spokesperson said.

McMullen believes the program could eventually serve as many as 300 people annually, while potentially reducing pressure on hospital emergency departments by providing another avenue for people seeking withdrawal management. But he argues its success should ultimately be measured by what happens to people after they leave.

“You can build all of the infrastructure, you can build all the strategies and you can build all the programs you want, but if they’re not run in accordance with what needs to be the solution, nothing is going to happen,” he said.

The goal, he said, is not simply to open another program, but to help people make lasting changes in their lives.

Lighthouse will hold its Harvest for Hope dinner on Oct. 29, its annual fundraiser that will double this year as an introduction for the detox program.

scott.billeck@winnipegfreepress.com