Who We Are
Since 1992, AARC has been helping youth and young adults aged 12-21 who struggle with alcohol or drug use. We know there is a way out of the pain and suffering of addiction because we've lived through it. Our compassionate, specialized team —encompassing a blend of clinical professionals and youth-focused peer support—works together to provide a holistic, wrap-around approach to recovery. By sharing their own relatable journeys, our dedicated and courageous peer support staff provide a safe space to help rebuild a foundation for your child and empower their future.
About AARC
Since its founding, AARC has provided individual and family-centric care for youth and young adults struggling with alcohol and drug addiction. This unique program is designed specifically for youth and young adults.
A Brief History
Prior to the 1990s, Canadian youth struggling with substance abuse and addiction had limited access to long-term treatment options. In 1990, the Alberta Adolescent Recovery Centre (AARC) was established in Calgary to offer treatment and officially began admitting youth in 1992. AARC was established as a non-profit organization with funding from the Government of Alberta and a donation from the Rotary Club of Calgary.
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Dr. Dean Vause is the Executive Director of the Alberta Adolescent Recovery Centre (“AARC”), a long-term, intensive treatment program for severely addicted youth and their families. AARC is the culmination of Dr. Vause’s over 35 years of research into adolescent addiction. Dr. Vause started his career in high schools where he taught, counselled, and developed programs to help youth in the education system. His master’s dissertation, “A School Drug Program”, was developed to address the drug issue in the education system. Dr. Vause’s Ph.D. Program (“Adolescent Substance Use Disorders”) focused on a model and facility for treating addicted youth and their families.
Dr. Vause’s legacy has been AARC’s success in saving youth from the ravages of addiction. Outside research has confirmed that many of AARC’s graduates are sober and are living meaningful and productive lives.
Dr. Vause is the recipient of the Rotary International “Paul Harris Fellowship”, the highest honour in Rotary International. Other awards include Calgary Citizen of the Year award (2004) and the Alberta Centennial Medal. In 2015, Dr. Vause was recognized as a keynote speaker in the Magnificent Men Leadership Lunch Series. In 2017, Dr. Vause and his staff at AARC were recipients of the prestigious Calgary Police Chief’s Award for Exceptional Recognition for Community Service. In 2022, Dr. Vause was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee Medal (Alberta) and in 2025, he was awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal.
Our Mission
Our Mission is to successfully treat adolescents and their families suffering from the disease of alcoholism and/or drug addiction, through a cost-effective, research-based, clinically validated treatment model, and to provide current, relevant information and perspectives on adolescent chemical dependency to as many individuals and institutions as possible throughout our community.
Our Vision
AARC strives to remain a recognized leader in the intervention and recovery of adolescents in the progressive and potentially terminal disease of chemical dependency.
Our provision of a holistic, integrated and highly skilled treatment program, based on AA’s 12 Steps, allows youth, their families and community members to draw on AARC's knowledge and commitment to conquering the disease of addiction. The provision of an emotionally, physically, spiritually, and culturally safe environment in which to heal ensures the dignity and rights of youth while promoting recovery from the terminal pathology of addictions.
What Makes AARC Unique?
Watch this insightful interview with Dr. Amelia Arria from the University of Maryland School of Public Health, Center on Young Adult Health and Development and discover why the AARC model works.
