An Okanagan mother is doing her best to get help for her son as he struggles with opioid addiction, but she香蕉视频直播檚 feeling lost.

Teena Clipston and her family are longtime Kelowna residents, but she moved to Nanaimo a few years ago. Her adult children stayed in the Okanagan.

Three weeks ago, Teena received a call from a social worker in Vernon, informing her that her son Andrew was in 香蕉视频直播渂ad shape.香蕉视频直播� He needed help in an immediate fashion.

香蕉视频直播淪he was thinking that he really didn香蕉视频直播檛 have that much time left; that香蕉视频直播檚 how bad it was,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淥n top of that, Andrew also had an overdose, but I wasn香蕉视频直播檛 made aware of that.香蕉视频直播�

Teena rushed to Kelowna to see her son and get him the help he needs.

Now, as her son focusses on recovering from his overdose and getting through his addiction, Teena is learning that is hard to find help.

Teena wanted to get Andrew on methadone to manage his withdrawal symptoms before they began to search for a rehab facility to check him into. But accessing opioid agonist therapy for Andrew proved difficult, given the over-saturated support system in Interior Health (IH). Teena said it took three days of calling and asking before Andrew was finally put on methadone.

香蕉视频直播淲hen we finally got there, they did the intake, but we were told to come back another day to get his prescription.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 not Interior Health香蕉视频直播檚 fault. They香蕉视频直播檙e stretched thin too, but where else do we go for help?香蕉视频直播�

Teena香蕉视频直播檚 plea for help to get her son into residential treatment comes as IH is working to take addiction and mental health services operating in-house.

Jana Abetkoff with IH香蕉视频直播檚 clinical operations said the health authority is focusing on harm reduction, safe supply and ensuring services match a person香蕉视频直播檚 individual needs.

香蕉视频直播淟iterature shows that residential treatment is not effective,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淕oing to a treatment centre is intrusive and it plucks them away from their community, family and job. It puts them in a false environment where they learn new skills and then they are expected to transition back into their community. It香蕉视频直播檚 effective for some but not the majority.香蕉视频直播�

IH香蕉视频直播檚 approach now is prescribing methadone or starting other types of opioid therapies, but that isn香蕉视频直播檛 what everyone wants either.

香蕉视频直播淚 told the doctor when we got the prescription that I only wanted to use the methadone to help control his pain until we got him into rehab. She said, 香蕉视频直播楬e wouldn香蕉视频直播檛 need rehab if he was on methadone for the rest of his life,香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈�� Teena said.

香蕉视频直播淚f we just give Andrew methadone for the rest of his life, then he isn香蕉视频直播檛 truly free either. I don香蕉视频直播檛 want that.香蕉视频直播�

Teena said it香蕉视频直播檚 difficult for Andrew to see the end of the tunnel and more often than not, he feels hopeless. Given the long waitlists, expensive fees and the runaround the two have experienced trying to find help, Teena said she understands why he feels that way.

But she香蕉视频直播檚 not done fighting for him, and she香蕉视频直播檚 asking for the community香蕉视频直播檚 support to keep going.

香蕉视频直播淚 would definitely love some support from people. Advice on which numbers are good to call, getting some real assistance and knowing what to do.

香蕉视频直播淚 just wish I had the answers.香蕉视频直播�

If you would like to help Teena and Andrew on their journey, visit their .

READ: Interior Health warns of fentanyl contaminated crack-cocaine in Penticton

twila.amato@blackpress.ca
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