Moncton's Harvest House wants to add addiction centre for women

Harvest House Atlantic, an emergency shelter and community outreach centre in Moncton, wants to expand to offer an addiction treatment program for women.

The faith-based community group already offers a nine-month, live-in addiction treatment program for men, but has previously just had a referral service for women.

But now, Cal Maskery, the founder and executive director of the organization, said they feel the need has grown so much, they have to act.

"We just got into a place where we just don't have access to send them where they need," Maskery said.

"We're at a crisis point and that's why we're looking at this."

Currently, Harvest House refers women, who are seeking nine-month, live-in addiction treatment, to one of two treatment centres in Grand Falls or Tracy.

Sometimes the women are turned away because those programs are often full, Maskery said.

Harvest House Atlantic founder said it's preferable to keep men and women in separate treatment programs.

That's because women with addiction problems are often coming out of domestic abuse situations, and may not feel comfortable expressing vulnerability around men going through their own issues, he said.

Debby Warren, the executive director of AIDS Moncton, said roughly 40 per cent of the people who use their needle exchange clinic are women.

Women, she said, have a particular challenge getting help, especially live-in treatment.

"They come with children, and other family members, they may be caregivers to senior family members," said Warren.

"So it's complicated and some real thought needs to go into it. You need to work with the women and not think that we know what's best for them, but to consult with women and find out what addresses their needs."

Harvest House Atlantic's plan is in the preliminary stage and the group is seeking funding for the expansion.

The organization says it does not intend to apply for government funding for the addiction recovery program specifically, because it is a faith based program.