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the Keremeos Residential Treatment Centre Project
British Columbia youth challenged by addiction will soon be able to receive long-term residential care at a new treatment centre near Keremeos, about 55 km southwest of Penticton.
From Grief to Action, and Central City Foundation (CCF) have been working with the Ministry of Health and the health authorities to create a program for young people between 14 and 24 years of age.
Young people will enter the program after withdrawing from drugs and alcohol, then stay in the residential program for six months to a year, depending on their needs.
News stories featuring the Centre
New Residential Treatment Centre for Youth
The official Press Release
Wilderness centre for addicted youth launched
Andy Ivens, Vancouver Province
Treatment centre planned for Keremeos
Tracy Clark, Western News
New drug-treatment centre offers ray of hope for B.C. addicts
Vancouver Province
New treatment centre to offer help for teen drug addicts
Kelly Sinoski, Vancouver Sun
Reply to errors in Vancouver Sun
Rob and Susie Ruttan, From Grief to Action
CCF will contribute The Crossing, a 58-acre property near Keremeos, B.C. to use for the treatment centre, and will lead a capital fundraising campaign to raise the $6 million needed to renovate and retrofit the existing buildings on the site. The Ministry of Health, through Vancouver Coastal Health and Fraser Health, will contribute $2.4 million annually to cover operating costs and costs associated with reintegrating young people back into the community when they complete the program.
“Central City Foundation has been helping people in need from the inner city for the past 100 years,” said CCF board member Peter Spencer. “We purchased the land near Keremeos in response to the very serious need in B.C. for services for youth and their families and in hopes of jump-starting a long-term residential treatment centre much like The Crossing will be when it is complete.”
“At present I am struggling to find any negatives,” said Joe Nitsch, regional director for rural Keremeos.
Jennifer Johnstone, president of the CCF, says the facility will provide an intense therapeutic residential community program for youth ages 14-24 that will include counselling, peer support and offer schooling. It will allow youth to “live drug free and turn their lives around,” she says.
Keremeos is the right area for the facility because of its “tranquil and therapeutic” location in a mountainous valley, located next to the Similkameen River .
“There is a long history of the natural environment as a place for healing and recovery,” said Johnstone, adding that the centre also takes youth out of urban centres, but is still accessible for families.
Portage Program for Drug Dependencies will operate the centre. Portage has been successfully treating young people since 1973, and operates similar programs in Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada.
The capital campaign will kick off in late September, with renovations expected to be complete by mid-spring 2009.
About the Partners
Conceived by a group of the most progressive, respected and dedicated professionals in addiction care, the program is based on their collective, proven experience of what works for youth with complex addiction issues. Together, they have the knowledge, expertise and resources to bring this much-needed treatment centre into being. Find Out More...
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