The Special Care Unit is a substance use program that employs a client-centered, strengths-based approach to treatment.

For nearly 20 years, Wesley’s Special Care Unit has been the only transitional residential program in the Hamilton region designed for individuals facing chronic homelessness, substance use, and mental health challenges.

By providing a safe and supportive environment, individuals can stabilize and access a range of personalized, client-focused treatment options, contributing to their long-term recovery and success.

People of all genders are welcome and supported by nurses and counsellors who provide personalized therapy, and trained staff who help them relearn life skills and address the practical issues regarding their substance use concerns, including housing, employment, family issues and more.

Each person has more private space at Wesley than they have often had in the past – an integral part of allowing a person’s nervous system to calm and regulate enough to think clearly, start to rebuild a sense of self-worth and create a plan for the life they want, including stabilization, treatment, and sometimes recovery.

Clients with significant needs report that the presence of experienced social service workers at the SCU made all the difference in their stabilization. Multiple staff are on-site 24/7, keeping a safe and effective staff-to-client ratio for quality care.