Temporary reallocation of Recovery Support Centre space at Yarmouth Regional Hospital

Nova Scotia Health is taking steps to address the shortage of inpatient mental health beds across the province due to the recent flood at the Abbie J. Lane Building, at the QEII Health Sciences Centre.

Starting March 29, services provided by the Yarmouth Recovery Support Centre at Yarmouth Regional Hospital, including walk-in support, one-on-one counseling, group sessions, and distribution of harm reduction supplies, will be temporarily reallocated to open five inpatient mental health beds.

This reallocation will minimize the impact on the number of beds involved in the flood and will ensure continued access to vital mental health care and support province wide.

We are reaching out to clients receiving ongoing care at the Yarmouth Recovery Support Centre. Anyone seeking support can receive care by calling the Recovery Support Centre’s located at Soldiers Memorial Hospital in Middleton (902-825-0207), or Fishermen’s Memorial Hospital in Lunenburg (902-634-8801 extension 1713228).

Walk-in clients will be accommodated with a virtual appointment onsite at Yarmouth Regional Hospital with Recovery Support Centre staff from the Lunenburg and Middleton sites. In addition, clients can receive care virtually through booked appointments with Recovery Support Centre staff. Harm reduction supplies and take home Naloxone can continue to be accessed at Yarmouth Regional Hospital through the Opioid Recovery Program, with sites across Western Zone.

If clients are uncertain about which service is the best fit, please reach out to Nova Scotia Health’s Intake Service by calling 1-855-922-1122. Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., including all weekday holidays, and Tuesdays and Thursdays until 8 p.m. Voicemail is available after hours and a message can be left requesting a call back during regular hours.

At this time, we do not know when Recovery Support Centre services will be fully restored at the Yarmouth location. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate the community's understanding, patience, and ongoing support as we work to resolve this situation.

We encourage anyone in need of mental health and addictions care to continue seeking support. Anyone requiring admission will receive the necessary care, even if it means being admitted farther from home than usual.

For a list of Recovery Support Centres in Western Zone visit https://mha.nshealth.ca/en/services/recovery-support-centre

For a list of Opioid Recovery Programs locations in Western Zone visit  https://mha.nshealth.ca/en/services/opioid-recovery-program-orp

Anyone with urgent medical needs should call 911. 

The Provincial Intake Service is available by calling 1-855-922-1122. Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., including all weekday holidays, and Tuesdays and Thursdays until 8 p.m. Voicemail is available after hours and a message can be left requesting a call back during regular hours. Intake provides triage, screening, and navigation for Mental Health and Addiction Programs, where an intake clinician can help determine what services and supports best meet the needs of the person seeking help.

The Provincial Mental Health and Addictions Crisis Line is available 24/7 for anyone experiencing a mental health and addictions crisis or someone concerned about someone experiencing a crisis. Call (toll-free) 1-888-429-8167.

Access Wellness Nova Scotia - a free single-session supportive counselling service for individuals, couples, or families. Trained counsellors can help support mental health and addictions concerns. Visit www.AccessWellnessNovaScotia.ca or call 1-833-691-2282 to make an appointment.

Peer support - available to all Nova Scotians 18 and up, experiencing mild mental health and/or addictions concerns or who are feeling isolated, alone, anxious, distressed, or need someone to talk to who will listen with empathy and without judgment. The trained Peer Supporter will provide non-urgent social and emotional support to callers, as well as information on community services. Call toll free at 1-800-307-1686.

Visit Mental Health and Addiction’s Program website, http://MHAhelpNS.ca, to learn more about our services, resources and eMental Health tools.