Heroin Addiction Treatment in Nova Scotia

The biggest problem with living in a smaller province like Nova Scotia is that if you have a drug addiction to a substance like heroin, getting treated for that addiction can be a little more complicated. The reason for this is simply the lack of heroin addiction treatment programs available in Nova Scotia compared to other parts of Canada. 

Before the heroin addict makes any plans they need to see if they have health insurance. If they do, they should read over the policy and find out if drug rehabilitation is one of the treatments that the plan covers. If it is, the heroin addict should probably consider a private facility instead of a government funded program. The private facilities almost always have an available bed, provide longer residential rehabilitation programs, and usually include skill classes that are designed to help assimilate the addict with the real world.

If the addict does not have an insurance plan that covers a stay in a private residential treatment program, than they are going to have to contact a government funded program. There is nothing wrong with the government programs, except for the fact that in Nova Scotia they can have a substantial waiting list. The government funded heroin addiction treatment programs include a detoxification phase, a twenty-eight day stay in a residential facility, and an outpatient rehabilitation program. Ideally the heroin addict should complete all three phases, however if they live in a remote area of Nova Scotia, there is a good chance that they will not be able to find an outpatient rehab program that is close to their home.  In that case, they need to join up with a peer support group as soon as they are released from the residential program.

Resources:http://www.nida.nih.gov/infofacts/heroin.html