The AARC Program
OverviewThe Alberta Adolescent Recovery Centre (AARC) is a long-term treatment program for chemically dependent adolescents and their families.
Success at AARC is a graduate who is clean and sober, back in school or working, and reunited with his or her family.
The program is often the treatment of last resort for young people who have been in jail, in front of the court, suicidal, violent, in psychiatric wards, living on the streets, in other treatment programs, and/or removed from their home.
- Twelve Step Recovery models of Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous (AA/NA);
- Positive peer influence;
- Group, family and individual therapy; and
- Use of Recovery Homes
The AARC program is based on the fundamental that addiction is a disease. Adolescent addiction is defined as a psycho-social, genetic, chronic, progressive and relapsing disease affecting every dimension of the adolescent and their family members' lives.
The AARC program provides progressive, structured stages of treatment from primary recovery through intermediate and advanced recovery. The stages of treatment correlate directly with the recovery steps of AA and NA. As the adolescents progress through the treatment process, they are assisted in developing and expected to present increasing levels of self-awareness, self-esteem, family cooperation, motivation and commitment towards recovery. Progression through treatment is dependent upon individual needs and the ability to acquire habilitative, non-chemical coping skills.
At the beginning of treatment, parents are often unable to provide the structure required for the care, control, and safety of their child during recovery. Therefore, the client resides in a Recovery Home during the first phase of treatment, which may last six months. Recovery Homes are the homes of families of clients who are further along in their recovery process.
The average length of treatment is 12 months. In addition, the adolescents and families are encouraged to commit to a six-month optional aftercare program.
Once a referral is made, the assessment process determines the extent of the adolescent's chemical dependency. Youth who meet the admission criteria receive a full diagnostic assessment to determine an appropriate treatment plan.
Treatment fees are assessed based on a family's ability to pay.
AARC is unlike any program in Canada. It is long-term (averaging about one year), built on a solid foundation of research augmented by clinical expertise. It is open to all, regardless of income level. AARC works because it blends dedication and compassion with no-nonsense, uncompromising, honest confrontation, expecting clients and parents to give as much as they get.
Youth addiction damages families as well as addicts themselves. AARC treats the family as well as the individual, requiring parents and siblings to take part in recovery. AARC empowers parents who feel hopeless and stuck, helping the family as a whole. AARC is home for teen addicts - a place they take pride in and a place where they and their families recover.
Peer Counsellors have been thereAddicts are adept at manipulating and conning others. But they can't con a con and AARC's peer counselors are graduates of the program. They know all the lines and have heard all the excuses - they've used them. All peer counselors are required to furthering their education while working at AARC. Many have degrees, giving them a powerful blend of real like experience, clinical expertise and academic training.
Discipline through loveAARC is a tough program - but it's also caring and loving, totally centered on helping addicts and their families recover. The confrontational, therapeutic process looks at the past, accepts the present and prepares for the future.
Staying in recovery homesAARC is not a residential facility. Adolescents do not live with their parents when entering treatment. Newcomers stay with families of clients further along in recovery and, as treatment progresses, will themselves host newcomers to AARC.
Taking 12 steps of recoveryThe 12-step programs of Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous and Al-Anon help keep adolescents and their families on the path of recovery. These programs become the recovering addict's "owner's manuals" for life.
Total abstinenceAddiction is chronic. AARC believes addicts must refrain from using drugs and alcohol for the rest of their lives. AARC does not ascribe to philosophies of "harmful reduction" (what addicts call "marijuana maintenance").
AARC Learning CentreEducation is vital for job and career success. AARC's year-round, full-time, on-site classroom, with two teachers from the Calgary Board of Education who specialize in this clientele, helps teen addicts prepare to re-enter the formal education system (high school or post-secondary) after AARC.
Accessible to all in needNo-one is turned away from AARC because of an inability to pay. Families who cannot afford full AARC fees of $150/day pay are assessed fees based on their ability to pay. Remaining fees are covered through AARC fundraising activity and government support.
Continuing careA six-month aftercare program provides ongoing support for graduates and enables them to help support clients who are still in treatment.
Treatment is comprised of three stages, each of which contains distinct levels. The "Structured Day Treatment Program Overview" is a graphic overview of the stages and corresponding levels, and what is accomplished at each point of treatment.
Within each of the stages of the treatment program are predetermined levels or steps that the adolescent must progress through in order to achieve higher levels of personal responsibility and recovery. Progression through the treatment levels is variable and flexible, depending on acquisition of habilitative, non-chemical coping skills and the individual's degree or intensity of concurrent psychopathology.
Adolescents in the AARC Program progress through four levels of treatment before graduating into the Aftercare Program:
- Primary Recovery Level 1 and Level 2
- Intermediate Recovery Level 3
- Advanced Recovery Level 4
The level system co-relates directly with the recovery steps of Alcoholics Anonymous/ Narcotics Anonymous (AA/NA). As clients progress through the level system, they achieve increasing privileges and responsibilities. They are expected to present increasing self-awareness, self-esteem, family cooperation, motivation and commitment to recovery. By the time the client graduates to the Advanced Recovery, he/she should have achieved an emotional acceptance, understanding and knowledge of the first nine steps of AA/NA and be actively working the remaining steps into his/her recovery program. By the time the client graduates from Advanced Recovery into Aftercare, he/she should have a firm foundation in AA/NA participation, involvement, understanding and commitment, thereby promoting a significantly higher chance of attaining and maintaining successful recovery.
Criteria for advancement to a higher level are based on assessment of behavioral stability, attitudinal reorientation and client and family commitment to ongoing daily recovery from the effects of the disease of addiction.
Success at AARC is not merely abstaining from drugs and alcohol, but developing a winning attitude. This includes facing reality, being responsible and disciplined and contributing to the welfare of others.
The Structured Day Treatment Program involves clients being separated from regular schooling while in Primary Recovery. During this first stage of treatment, due to significant life disruptions and/or lack of social supports, the client requires intensive treatment. This stage of treatment needs to be free from the distractions of work, school and/or social problems in order to focus on recovery. The client returns to either work or school once their behaviour has become stabilized, and they accept and understand the dynamics of the disease of chemical dependency. This return to either school and/or work takes place upon advancement to Intermediate Recovery.
Level 1The first level focuses on the client's ability to recognize his/her own need to begin a treatment program. The primary therapeutic work is directed towards assisting them in understanding that they have a disease and that his/her life is unmanageable. The client begins to honestly confront the consequences of past behaviors and begins to experience a structured recovery program.
The client's progress is evaluated by the Clinical Team in order to assess and update his/her individual treatment plan. The client resides in the Recovery Home of, and under the supervision of a peer who is a client at a more advanced level of treatment. The client is involved in structured day treatment seven days per week. The primary treatment modality is group therapy, complemented by ongoing one-on-one clinical sessions.
At this point of treatment, the focus begins to include working on family issues and rebuilding family relationships. The client returns to his/her own home and begins to put into practice the skills that he/she had been learning that promote positive family relationships. The client is now classified as an Oldcomer and begins to take Newcomers into their home and support their recovery. In addition, the healing process is initiated and the shame and guilt of the past is addressed.
The client continues his/her involvement in the structured day treatment and, at this point, is still in day treatment seven days a week.
Upon advancement to this stage of the program, the client returns to either work or school. The challenge at this level is to begin to develop healthy relationships in the real world. It is also a time to rebuild damaged relationships. The previous work in their recovery program provides them with the self-confidence to return to environments, which contributed to their difficulties. As they experience success in these arenas, their recovery programs are strengthened.
In returning to the community, in either a work experience or in returning to school, the client encounters the pressures and stresses that contributed to his/her chemical dependence. During this stage, the client must rely on the skills that they have learned to maintain their recovery program, and begin to seek the support of those peers who have successfully managed such pressure by successfully applying the skills developed in the program.
Each client is assisted in planning their recovery program by setting realistic goals and developing effective school study and work habits, in addition to relationship skills. The AARC career program is an integral part of this level. Clients are now involved in intensive after school/work treatment and attend the program Monday to Friday in the evenings and all day Saturday. They have Sundays off to plan leisure activities.
The fourth level focuses on the continued healthy development of family relationships and the attainment of appropriate non-chemical coping and problem-solving skills. The goal is to develop the constructive use of leisure time without the reliance on drugs. They learn that they can have fun without chemicals. They discover the intrinsic rewards of being responsible, disciplined and giving back. They also experience the joy of recovery and are committed to continual growth through their own recovery program.
The adolescent relies less on the day treatment peer group and begins to rely more on community support services and the AA community.
At this stage, they assume greater responsibility for their daily activities and take the initiative in managing their own recovery program. The completion of treatment involves graduation to a drug-free lifestyle.
Clients are now involved in the outpatient stage of treatment. Time in the program is based on individual schedules, given work or school and family commitments. At a minimum, it will involve three days per week after work or school.
Aftercare is available to all graduates of the AARC Treatment Program and provides access to support recovery groups for all family members. The focus of groups is on relapse prevention and allows the client and/or his/her family long-term access to support and assistance in the maintenance of a recovery program.
The average length of stay in Aftercare is expected to be six months to a year before discharge, regularly scheduled follow-up treatment, which may include recovery groups, family therapy and individual therapy. Additionally, it may involve up to six months in which the clients have access to help in managing his/her recovery and relapse prevention plan. During this period, the client may attend aftercare groups, but less frequently, and only as crisis management. The goal of aftercare is integration into the community support network.
(It is the policy of AARC to review each family's financial situation and assess fees based on their ability to pay.)
Assessment FeesPre-Assessment Services (Flat Fee)
$100.00
Full Assessment Services (Flat Fee)
$200.00
Alberta resident (Per Day)
$150.00
Out-Of-Province Fees (Per Day)
$160.00
