An addiction treatment program based in Alberta’s Rocky Mountains has only two months to secure significant funding or be forced to close its operations.
Shunda Creek Wilderness Addiction Treatment Program — located west of Rocky Mountain House — has been operating for 13 years, helping men aged 18-24 struggling with addiction.
The program — run by non-profit Enviros — incorporates wilderness into its treatment.
“It takes these young men out of the environments that cultivate active addiction,” said Stephen Harding, Shunda Creek employee and alumni. “It removes them from those triggers in those environments so that they can have a little bit of a reprieve to start working on the things that caused the addiction.”
Harding began his attempt at recovery from addiction in 2010, trying 12-step programs and multiple treatment centres.
“I ended up relapsing and using actively again for about seven months. That ended in an overdose in the Red Deer hospital. I went from there to the detox centre in Red Deer and found Shunda Creek through an addictions counselor. That was six years ago.”
Similar to Harding, Colton Rolof attended Shunda Creek six years ago.
“I found myself in pretty dark places, drinking and doing drugs every day, waking up needing to use just to get through daily life,” said Rolof. “I went back to my hometown in Barrhead, looked my mom in the eyes, and said I don’t know what to do. I’m on a very straight path to death or jail and I need to figure something out.
“So I went down and reached out to the local counsellor and he mentioned a place called Shunda Creek.”
Last week, Rolof learned the camp is at risk of closing operations due to funding challenges.
The facilities at the leased camp have fallen into disrepair, and Enviros needs to purchase a new location to continue the program.
“The buildings are pretty old. It’s leased property, I believe. So we’ve got to move and in order to maintain the wilderness therapy aspect of the program, we have to stay in a wilderness-based program facility,” said Harding.
A new camp location has been found, but Enviros does not have the finances to purchase the location.
“My heart was absolutely broken. I got back from my 14-hour day at work and I cried for a solid three hours in my room. I had no idea what to do. I was in contact with the staff, I called the camp, I said there’s got to be something we can do,” said Rolof.
Rolof decided to create a GoFundMe page one week ago, and within the first 24 hours, raised $10,000.
The goal is to raise $625,000 to support Enviros in purchasing the new camp.
The additional land would also help expand the number of beds offered from 10 to 18.
“It’s a 10-bed treatment program. If we can get over this next hurdle then it can become an 18-bed treatment program. We’ll have more clients, more staff, more resources available to continue this beautiful work,” said Harding. “The Government of Alberta and Alberta Health Services are standing full-heartedly behind the program itself, funding the program, funding the staff — just funding for the new location has fallen short.
“The goal of this GoFundMe is to be able to purchase the new land so that they can expand the program.”
Justin Brattinga, acting spokesperson for the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, said in a statement that “we want to ensure that Enviros can continue to provide these services to youth experiencing addiction.
“That’s why we’re working with Enviros and Alberta Health Services to find a solution to this issue of a long-term operating site. AHS is providing support, along with Alberta Health, to help Enviros gain approval from a lender to better situate the program long term,” the statement read. “Those currently receiving care at Shunda Creek will continue to be supported in their treatment and pursuit of recovery.
“We will continue to support Enviros as needed to ensure the critical services they provide to youth in Alberta can continue.”
Supporters hosted a rally on Wednesday to raise awareness for the program and hope to gain support as the deadline approaches.
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