News release

Recovery Support Centre at Fishermen’s Memorial Hospital

Office of Addictions and Mental Health

People living in Lunenburg and Queens counties now have more help to recover from substance use and gambling addictions.

Wellness and withdrawal management services at Fishermen’s Memorial Hospital in Lunenburg have transitioned to a recovery support centre. The centre serves as a hub for adults who require less intensive withdrawal management and other recovery supports. The team at the centre will work with people to develop an individualized plan and match them to the care that best supports their recovery.

“The journey to recovery from substance use and gambling addictions is different for everyone,” said Brian Comer, Minister responsible for the Office of Addictions and Mental Health. “This centre means more people living in Lunenburg and in Queens County can get the individualized care they need while being surrounded by loved ones. I look forward to seeing the positive impacts this centre will have.”

The recovery support centre offers in-person assessments, outpatient withdrawal management and recovery support programming, such as individual and group counselling sessions. People attend the centre for support during the day and return home in the evening.

Staff can also connect patients with other levels of care such as inpatient, opioid-use disorder treatment and community mental health and addictions programs.

People can drop into the centre for services Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. They can also make an appointment by calling the Mental Health and Addictions Intake Service at 1-855-922-1122, Monday to Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., with extended hours to 8 p.m. on Tuesdays, or by calling the recovery support centre directly at 902-634-8801. Referrals will also come through family physicians, emergency departments and community mental health and addiction clinics.

This is the fourth recovery support centre to open in Nova Scotia, with others in Dartmouth, New Glasgow and Middleton. In total, 10 centres will be set up across the province, including in the Strait-Richmond area, Sydney, Yarmouth, Truro, North Sydney and Halifax.

Quotes:

“I’ve seen the impact of providing quality community-based care for people living with addictive disorders. When we provide options that those in need can access and will use, we impact the whole health system. More importantly, the quality of their lives and that of their families improves.”

– Dr. Dave Martell, Physician Lead, Addictions Medicine, Mental Health and Addictions Program, Nova Scotia Health

Quick Facts:

  • the Province has committed $1.7 million to set up the recovery support centres
  • since January, the recovery support centres in Dartmouth, New Glasgow and Middleton have supported more than 400 people during more than 1,617 visits
  • expanding recovery support centres is part of Action for Health, the government’s strategic plan to improve healthcare in Nova Scotia

Additional Resources:

More information on recovery support centres is available at: https://mha.nshealth.ca/en/services/recovery-support-centre

Mandate letter for the Minister responsible for the Office of Addictions and Mental Health: https://novascotia.ca/exec_council/letters-2021/ministerial-mandate-letter-2021-CNS-AMH-Youth.pdf

Action for Health: https://novascotia.ca/actionforhealth/

NOTE: The centre's hours listed in this release were updated November 22, 2022.