The Red Deer Recovery Community will begin accepting residents later than expected.
The facility will begin accepting Albertans battling addiction “in the near future,” said Colin Aitchison, Ministry of Addictions and Mental Health Services senior press secretary.
“Recovery communities offer holistic rehabilitation, helping people re-learn and re-establish physical and emotional health,” Aitchison told The Advocate in a statement on Friday.
“The operator of the Red Deer Recovery Community is currently finalizing their preparations before opening their doors to clients and we will have more information to share in the coming weeks.”
In January, Premier Danielle Smith and other dignitaries toured the completed $20-million facility. At the time, it was expected that residents would be accepted into the facility with 75 treatment beds starting in February.
In a press conference following that facility tour, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Nicholas Milliken said the provincial government believes every Albertan living with Albertan “deserves the opportunity” to pursue recovery.
“The completion of this facility is another important step forward in building a comprehensive, recovery-oriented system of care across the province,” Milliken said on Jan. 12.
“With construction now complete, more Albertans will be able to get the help they need in this long-term therapeutic recovery community – the first of its kind in Alberta.”
The facility’s operator is Edgewood Health Network, which Milliken called a “well-established, nationally-recognized addiction treatment provider.”
Red Deer Recovery Community residents will be able to stay at the facility for up to a year, where they can access services that range from medical detox and opioid agonist medications to programs that help improve other aspects of their lives – from skills development and relationship building to employment, financial and housing supports. Treatment is free for all Albertans.
Construction began in November 2021 at the site in North Red Deer.
sean.mcintosh@reddeeradvocate.com
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