Alberta Adolescent Recovery Centre
Operates in Canada
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| Abbreviation | AARC |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1992 |
| Purpose | Drug Rehabilitation |
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Region served
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Alberta, Canada |
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President
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F. Dean Vause |
| Website | Alberta Adolescent Recovery Centre |
The Alberta Adolescent Recovery Centre, or AARC, is a drug rehabilitation centre for adolescents located in Calgary, Alberta. AARC specializes in treating young people suffering from drug addiction and alcoholism, and takes in patients who have been thought of as being too far-gone for recovery. The AARC program is a multifaceted drug treatment program that uses twelve-step recovery processes, positive peer pressure, family and group therapy. An independent survey found that AARC had an 80% success rate, and that former addicts can permanently abstain from using drugs or alcohol following treatment at the centre.
AARC was established in Calgary, Alberta in 1991. AARC was originally funded through a collaborative effort between the Rotary Club and the Alberta government, recognizing the need for a long-term youth treatment centre in Alberta. The AARC program was modeled off of the doctoral work of Dean Vause PhD titled “The Alberta Adolescent Recovery Centre: A Treatment Centre for Chemically Dependent Youth and Their Family”. Dean Vause was initially employed as the executive director, and still serves in that position. He is directly overseen by the board of directors, who are a collection of business leaders and professionals from the Calgary community.
Dean Vause worked at KIDS with Miller Newton for a period of time before leaving the Kids program due to some of the questionable tactics that were used. During Dr. Vause’s employment at KIDS he did, however, recognize some elements of the program that could be effectively implemented in another treatment centre without the questionable and abusive tactics. Some of these elements include the use of peer counselors (employed graduates that are in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction), “respite or recovery homes” and family treatment.
Respite homes provide clients with a sense of still being in a homely environment and can effectively relieve feelings of being institutionalized.
Peer counselors are effective in the treatment of mental health disorders in the following ways: They provide a positive role model for clients to identify with, They provide an example of hope that recovery is possible, They are able to use their personal experience to help others suffering from the same mental illness. They help bridge the gap between clinical staff and clients. The peer counselors are AARC are under the direct supervision of clinical staff who have all received relevant education in the field of addiction and mental health.
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