Rapid Access Addiction Clinic

Location

2C-210, 2nd floor, Burrard Building, St. Paul’s Hospital

General entry is via the Thurlow parking lot, past the ramp & up the stairs. Wheelchair access is through the 2nd floor hallway – via the Burrard entrance and elevator B2 (see map below).

About this clinic

We are a low-barrier outpatient clinic providing consultation and stabilization for individuals with substance use disorder or reliance including alcohol, stimulant and opiate use disorders.

RAAC has an interdisciplinary team that includes physicians, nurses and social workers that provide comprehensive assessment and care for those seeking support around their substance use.

Our team can help provide you with the tools to support your goals. For patients without a regular health care provider, the RAAC will assist in linking them to one.

Our team focuses from a harm reduction lens, recognizing each client’s journey is different and each client’s goal varies. The team at RAAC can support access to services ranging from medication management to referrals to treatment settings.

New clients can access RAAC on a walk-in basis starting at 9am. Capacity is limited, but we can re-direct to an alternate resource if needed.

Our clinic’s philosophy for care and treatment include:

• Client-centred practice
• Trauma informed care
• Judgement free access
• A healing environment

Care Cards are not required to access service.

Advances in treatments for substance use are all thanks to medical research. While participating in research is a decision you should make in consultation with your care team, there is much activity in this field, so please ask us about our research programs if you’re interested.

By taking part in research, you can help us all learn more about substance use issues and find better ways to help people like you live, thrive and recover. While there may not be a benefit to yourself, your participation can improve care for future patients.

The following clinical trials are currently enrolling volunteers. Please ask your care team for more information or contact the research team listed on each study or trial. For other information about research at Providence Health Care, please visit Providence Research.

RAAC accepts referrals from community providers, doctors, nurses, social workers, as well as self-referrals.

Referrals include clients seeking support for the following substance use disorders:

• Opioid use disorder
• Alcohol use disorder/Alcoholism
• Benzodiazepine (benzo) dependency
• Nicotine addiction/reliance
• Stimulant addiction/reliance

The RAAC provides expertise in addiction medicine, including:

• consultative advice for physicians and health care providers managing difficult substance-use related cases;
• field training to increase capacity for Suboxone prescribers; and
• scale-up of physicians’ competency in the area of addiction medicine, treatment and assessment.

Please fax referral forms to 604-297-9678.