Grand River Hospital - Addiction and substance use programs

Grand River Hospital’s Withdrawal Management Centre at 52 Glasgow Street in Kitchener provides non-medical supervised withdrawal from drugs and alcohol through residential, day and community outreach treatment model. The services are best suited for individuals who:

Are intoxicated or experiencing withdrawal symptoms;
Are 16 years of age or older;
Are medically and psychiatrically stable;
Can manage a group environment; and
Choose to be there voluntarily.

Click here for more information about GRH's Withdrawal Management services.

Coming to the Withdrawal Management Centre: Individuals can self-refer by visiting the centre. Referral agencies and individuals are encouraged to call ahead to ensure bed availability, and to prevent a potential wait for an intake interview. Those offering support to the person being referred are encouraged to accompany the individual during the intake interview.

Our services are as follows:
1. Residential: Short-term service best suited to individuals who require 24 hour monitoring of their withdrawal symptoms, or for those who need a structured and/or protected setting in order to abstain. Length of stay is based on individual needs.

2. Day withdrawal management: day services are delivered at the centre location using a 10-day, small group format.

3. Outreach withdrawal management: qualified withdrawal management staff is available to provide consultation and outreach services to individuals and community agencies dealing with unique client needs.

Specific services provided at the centre are as follows:

Screening: to ensure client receives the appropriate services;
Assessment: to determine individual goals;
Crisis intervention;
Close observation upon admission: to ensure medical and psychiatric stability;
Withdrawal symptom monitoring and treatment;
Supportive care and stabilization;
Professionally-facilitated treatment groups: To help individuals identify issues and goals related to relapse prevention, anger management, wellness/fitness, mindfulness, harm reduction, anxiety and depression;
12-step meetings and support group programming: Alcoholics anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous meetings are held in the community and at Withdrawal Management Centre;
Early recovery education; and
Discharge planning: Based on individual needs, preferences and assessment, staff will make recommendations for resources and services.

What to Bring :

Any prescribed medication in their original dispensed bottles, other than narcotics;
Recovery literature (if you have it);
Two changes of seasonally-appropriate clothing only, including sleep wear (we have a washer and dryer for client use);
Walking shoes;
Coat and boots as required; and
Toiletries (tooth brush, tooth paste, combs , shampoo, etc) but no alcohol-based produces (i.e. cologne, face astringents ,mouth wash etc).

Please do not bring:

Outdated medications;
Food;
Electrical plug ins (etc);
Any electrical items (such as cell phones, laptop computers, mp3 players, i-pods, game boys, etc;
Money or other valuables, which should be left at home or responsibility for its safety will be that of the clients.

If you want to visit a client at the centre, please call 519-749-4318 for information regarding visiting.

We are located at 52 Glasgow Street, Kitchener, Ontario
Our phone number is 519-749-4318. The phone line is monitored around the clock. If we do not answer immediately, please call back as we are likely helping our clients at the moment.