New Quintin Warner House ready to help people with addictions

A tour of the new Quintin Warner House location in London, Ont. illustrated how additional space and services will benefit men recovering from addiction.

Quintin Warner is moving to a section of the Men’s Mission location at 459 York St.

Charlie Dorner helped give insight into just how important the new location is, “It's a beautiful thing, it's overwhelming. It's actually why I'm here today."

Dorner struggled with an eating disorder, alcohol addiction, and opiate addiction. He first turned to Quintin Warner House 20 years ago.

Now a Quintin Warner alumnus, he has just completed the first year of the social service worker program at Fanshawe College.

Still, he remains tied to Quintin Warner, "I've actually been able to come back to the program. As well, I was able to call them and speak to various counsellors I worked with at Mission Services, at Quintin Warner House, over those 20 years. So they've always been there for me, even post treatment.”

Charlie Dorner addressed a group touring the new home of Quintin Warner House and addictions recovery program, run by Mission Services of London, on June 2, 2023. (Gerry Dewan/CTV News London)

Quintin Warner House has been operating as a ten-bed facility in a house at 477 Queens Ave, but last year they received additional funding from the Ministry of Health to expand to a 20-bed facility.

That's what prompted the move.

Lisa Misselbrook is the director of Addiction and Mental Health for Quintin Warner. She said the facility is unique in Ontario, "Because we're a four-month program; that is really rare. Also the ability to have a centre with 20 beds, individual spaces, it's unheard of."

There is a new kitchen, laundry and bath facilities, as well more gathering spaces. It’s all geared to develop coping mechanisms and life skills.

“The underpinning of all of that is the best possible service for men in treatment,” said Mission Services of London Executive Director Ericka Ayala Ronson.

The new Quintin Warner House location will have individual rooms for 20 people. (Gerry Dewan/CTV News London)

Ronson said it started with the vision of staff and clients. That was followed-up with buy-in from donors, contractors, and engineers who were committed to help make the vision happen.

"They were able to stand in this space and dream and make it happen. Down to the colour schemes that have been used in here. They are meant to portray hope," Ronson said.

Staff at Quintin Warner House will also be working closely with the nearby Carepoint safe consumption site.

They said it’s part of a city-wide effort to provide a continuum of care for those dealing with addictions, mental health issues, and poverty.