Bluewater Health is a little closer to its goal of creating a Community Addictions Hub for Sarnia-Lambton.
The hospital issued a request for proposal (RFP) for an architectural consultant this week. This next step comes shortly after the hospital was granted $12 million from the Ontario Ministry of Health in February.
Director of Biomedical Engineering and Support Services Jack Vanderveen said it will likely be mid-May before an architect is hired.
"Once we have the architect, we'll be setting up some meetings with community partners and some committee members and work through some previously done data to kind of give the architect a picture of where we want to go. From there, they'll put pen to paper and actually help make the project come to life visually."
Vice President of Integrated Services Paula Reaume-Zimmer said it's an exciting step forward and one that has been long-awaited.
"Getting to this point is just a great demonstration of community support and we look forward to continuing to work with the community as this paper project comes to life."
Reaume-Zimmer said the addictions hub will incorporate different services as recovery is not a "one size fits all" model.
Services will include withdrawal management, stabilization and transitional services, out-patient addictions and withdrawal management services, primary health care, as well as clinical space for programs, treatment, and consultations with community partners.
"We have a lot of important elements that really help to create a recovery plan for individuals looking to move in that direction," said Reaume-Zimmer.
Construction of the Community Addictions Hub is expected to take two to three years to complete.
