Correcting statements by IH on Pathways

DEAR EDITOR:

It seems that our $349,751-a-year CEO from Interior Health has a problem getting her facts straight about Pathways Addictions Resource Centre, perhaps because she’s never stepped foot in their office.

To correct recently-published statements by Susan Brown, she promises a seamless transfer of clients to IH. It will be interesting how many will transfer and how many will go without help rather than seeking help from the government.

And here’s the big line, “Under the previous contract (which she is cancelling), new client intake to Pathways’ substance-use counselling was limited to one afternoon per week and had minimal integration or connectivity to other services.”

The fact is that Pathways has always had five-day-a-week intake and, when needed, clients can get immediate attention. There is one counsellor at Pathways available 24/7 for people in dire need, day or night.

As for connecting with other services. it’s just a normal day at Pathways to work with doctors, housing, hospitals, and other treatment programs such as innervision as well as many more on the Lower Mainland.

Brown goes on to talk about all the programs IH will have. To me, it sounds like an advertisement about what Pathways has been doing for years, with only $500,000 a year to work with. My question is: why would Susan Brown want to end Pathways that has had great success for over 40 years and think that a bunch of well-paid government employees can do a better job?

Pathways offers a discreet service for people in need. Are people going to park in front of the government office and walk in? Not likely. Why not continue the contract with Pathways and even send them additional funds to offer more programs?

Brown seems hell bent on spending a very large amount of taxpayers’ money on something that will never replace a trusted organization like Pathways.

Lee Pixley Penticton