Families in Recovery (FIR) Program - Fir Square - Pregnant with Substance Use

Addictions / Substance Use and Pregnancy Care

Provided by BC Women’s Hospital & Health Centre (BCWH)

Provides specialized support to individuals who are pregnant or newly parenting while navigating substance use and mental health concerns.
The Families in Recovery (FIR) Unit provides specialized inpatient (hospital-based) support to individuals ​who are pregnant or newly parenting, who have substance use concerns.​ Services encompass pregnancy to after-birth care. The program focuses on creating individual goals, supporting parent-infant bonding and helping with transitioning back to the community.

FIR services are delivered by an interdisciplinary team that includes perinatal addiction medicine physicians, nurses, social workers, patient and family advisors, and other healthcare professionals. The program provides:
  • Recreation and expressive art therapy
  • Indigenous cultural support through a First Nations advocate and Indigenous Elder
  • Nutrition assessment and support from a dietitian
  • Advocacy assistance for housing, income and other social needs

​​Patient Eligibility:
  • ​Inclusion criteria:
    • Antepartum patients who require acute inpatient medical stabilization due to ongoing substance use
    • Early postpartum patients with ongoing substance use and their infants who require acute medical stabilization and care planning support

  • Exclusion criteria:
    • Individuals certified under the Mental Health Act who require inpatient care
    • Based ​on a case-by-case circumstance, individuals who present with complex and historical mental health concerns that this program cannot adequately support

  • Individuals who require only shelter and/or other social supports due to other vulnerabilities outside of substance use
Length of Stay: A patient’s length of stay is based on their individual goals and available supports. FIR is an acute hospital-based unit. An individual’s stay on the unit is limited. Patients, with support from their care team, work on their goals with the FIR team and follow the policies of the unit throughout their stay.

Non-local residents: Patients from outside the local area may benefit from in-depth conversations with the FIR team prior to admission, to ensure they agree with the program's objectives and policies. The FIR program will ensure we set realistic expectations to protect the patient and to ensure they remain engaged in care in a supportive environment.

Referral information: Either the Individual seeking care or their health care provider can make referrals to the program by filling out the referral form. Completed forms can be faxed to 604-875-2221.

If the FIR triage team screening process approves the referral, the patient care coordinator will notify the referring provider. Newly admitted patients are assessed at the BC Women’s Hospital’s Urgent Care Centre (entrance 97) and admitted to FIR based on the above eligibility criteria being met. Visit the FIR referral page​ for further details.

Cost: No cost

Referral options:

  • Self-referral
  • Family physician or nurse practitioner referral
Associated Programs/Services

Also offered by BC Women’s Hospital & Health Centre (BCWH):

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Availability

Service area: Province-wide + show cities

Service area cities: 100 Mile House, Abbotsford, Agassiz, Aldergrove, Alert Bay, Alexis Creek, Anahim Lake, Anmore, Armstrong, Ashcroft, Atlin, Bamfield, Banff, Barriere, Bella Bella, Bella Coola, Black Creek, Blue River, Boston Bar, Bowen Island, Brentwood Bay, Burnaby, Burns Lake, Cache Creek, Calgary, Campbell River, Canmore, Castlegar, Cathedral Grove, Cawston, Chase, Chemainus, Cherryville, Chetwynd, Chilliwack, Christina Lake, Clearwater, Clinton, Cobble Hill, Comox, Coombs, Coquitlam, Cortes Island, Courtenay, Cranbrook, Crawford Bay, Creston, Cumberland, Daajing Giids (Queen Charlotte City), Dawson Creek, Dease Lake, Deep Bay, Delta, Denman Island, Duncan, Edgewood, Edmonton, Elkford, Enderby, Fanny Bay, Fernie, Fort Langley, Fort Nelson, Fort St. James, Fort St. John, Fraser Lake, Fruitvale, Gabriola Island, Galiano Island, Gibsons, Gitlaxt'aamiks (New Aiyansh), Golden, Gold River, Grand Forks, Grand Prairie, Granisle, Greenwood, Hanceville, Harrison Mills, Hazelton, Hope, Hornby Island, Horne Lake, Houston, Hudson's Hope, Invermere, Kamloops, Kaslo, Kelowna, Keremeos, Kimberley, Kispiox, Kitimat, Kwadacha Nation (Fort Ware), Kyuquot, Ladner, Ladysmith, Lake Country, Lake Cowichan, Langford, Langley, Lantzville, Lethbridge, Lillooet, Lions Bay, Logan Lake, Long Beach, Lumby, Lytton, Mackenzie, Maple Ridge, Masset, Mayne Island, McBride, Merritt, Merville, Midway, Mill Bay, Mission, Nakusp, Nanaimo, Nanoose Bay, Nelson, New Denver, New Westminster, Nitinaht, North Delta, North Saanich, North Vancouver, Okanagan Falls, Okotoks, Oliver, Osoyoos, Oyama, Parksville, Peachland, Pemberton, Pender Harbour, Pender Island, Penelakut Island, Penticton, Pitt Meadows, Port Alberni, Port Alice, Port Coquitlam, Port Hardy, Port McNeill, Port Moody, Powell River, Prince George, Prince Rupert, Princeton, Quadra Island, Qualicum Beach, Quathiaski Cove, Quesnel, Revelstoke, Richmond, Riske Creek, Rock Creek, Rossland, Saanich, Saanichton, Salmo, Salmon Arm, Salt Spring Island, Sardis, Saturna Island, Sayward, Scotch Creek, Sechelt, Shawnigan Lake, Sicamous, Sidney, Skidegate, Slocan, Smithers, Sointula, Sooke, Sorrento, South Surrey, Sparwood, Spences Bridge, Squamish, Stewart, Summerland, Sun Peaks, Surrey, Tahsis, Tatla Lake, Telkwa, Terrace, Tofino, Trail, Tsawwassen, Tumbler Ridge, Ucluelet, Valemount, Vancouver, Vanderhoof, Vernon, Victoria, West Kelowna, West Vancouver, Whistler, White Rock, Williams Lake, Winlaw, Witset, Yale, and Zeballos

Service Types Provided
Addictions / Substance Use
Pregnancy Care
Ways to Access
  • Provided 1:1 in-person
  • Provided at a single location

The listing of this service in Pathways is not a recommendation or endorsement by Pathways.

Pathways does not provide medical advice. If you have an emergency please call 9-1-1. If you require assistance navigating services please call 8-1-1.

For general inquiries or for assistance, please email us:

community-services@pathwaysbc.ca

If you are requesting clinical access to medical Pathways, please provide the following information via the email above:

  1. First Name
  2. Last Name
  3. Email
  4. In which city/town do you work?
  5. What is your role? E.g. Family Physician, Office Staff, Medical Resident
  6. Employer Name (for office staff)
  7. Office Phone

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