Image: Decery Frondoso, a substance-use care nurse at Langley Memorial Hospital. / Fraser Health

By Alyssa Conti

SUBSTANCE USE CARE

Specialized addiction nurses join nine hospitals in Fraser Valley

May 18, 2025 | 11:30 AM

FRASER VALLEY — The B.C. government is continuing its efforts to improve substance-use care in the Fraser Health region.

Addiction assessment nurses have now joined nine emergency departments, including the Abbotsford Regional, Chilliwack General and Langley Memorial hospitals.

“People facing substance-use challenges deserve compassionate, trauma-informed care,” said Minister of Health Josie Osborne. “Addiction assessment nurses play a key role in reducing barriers to care and ensuring people in crisis have access to the right supports.”

The nurses work with patients, urgent care teams and addiction medicine doctors to assess a person’s needs and then direct them towards the right treatment and recovery services. Decery Frondoso, an addiction assessment nurse in Langley, said there’s a growing need for her specialty in emergency departments.

“We had a patient who was worried about relapsing during their transition from hospital to their community, and by securing support and resources, the patient was able to move closer to their goals,” said Frondoso.

MAYOR'S CHALLENGE

Abbotsford mayor challenges Charlotte mayor ahead of historic Calder Cup Final

2h ago

MISSING TEEN

Langley RCMP seek 16-year-old reported missing Thursday

3h ago

WILDLIFE SAFETY

Police issue warning after two close wildlife encounters in Maple Ridge area

4h ago

The program has helped over 6,000 patients since it started at Surrey Memorial and Burnaby Hospital in 2020. The program has then expanded to 30 full-time-equivalent positions in seven other hospitals.

BC Coroners Service data shows 2,271 people died across the province from unregulated drug poisoning in 2024– a 12 per cent decrease from the total in 2023. From January to March this year, BC Coroners’ data reports 40 drug-related deaths in the Fraser East region from Abbotsford to Hope.

Consistent with data from the past nine years, fentanyl continues to be found in the most decedents from all health regions.