New walk-in addiction clinics accept patients in Brandon, Thompson

Two new clinics designed to helppeople with addictions have opened in Brandon and Thompson.

The province announced Thursday that two new walk-in locations, known as rapid access to addictions medicineor RAAM clinics, have started accepting patients at existing health-care facilities in the two cities.

The clinics offerwalk-in patients access to intervention and community treatment programs. Typically staffed by anaddictions physician and a combination of clinicians, counsellors and outreach workers, patients will be referred to other health professionalsif the need is warranted.

No appointments are necessary.

The Brandon clinic will be housed at the7thStreet Access Centre on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. (except for Oct. 23).

The Thompson location isattheAddictions Foundation of Manitoba'sEaglewoodsite. The clinicwill accept patients Tuesdays from 9:30 a.m. to noon and Thursdays from 1-4 p.m.

Two clinics are already openin Winnipegat Health Sciences Centre and146MagnusAve. and a site in Selkirk is expected to be ready later this year.

The government has pledged $1.24 million to build theclinics,which wererecommended by Manitoba's new strategy for mental health and addictions services, referred to as the Virgo report.

Health Minister Cameron Friesenpreviously suggested the clinics would reduce wait times at other health-care facilities, but will not replace the need for emergency departments for some individuals.

The sites are modelled afterfacilities inOntario, which integrateopioidreplacement therapy with primary care and provide assessment, counsellingand prescriptionsof appropriate medications.