Alberta Adolescent Recovery Centre
Encyclopedia
The Alberta Adolescent Recovery Centre, or AARC, is a long-term drug rehabilitation
clinic for chemically dependent adolescents and their families located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
. The AARC program is based on the fundamental that addiction is a disease. Patients at AARC submit to a multi-leveled round of drug treatment
, which uses the Alcoholics Anonymous
and Narcotics Anonymous
twelve-step recovery
models, positive peer influence, group, family and individual therapy, and the use of recovery homes. AARC claims its program has an 80% success rate, and that former addicts can permanently abstain from using drugs or alcohol following treatment at the clinic. Out of the AARC graduate population "significant positive changes were noted in academic performance, family relationships, peer relationships, self-esteem, recreational activity and reduced criminal behaviour."
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."
Drug rehabilitation
Drug rehabilitation is a term for the processes of medical or psychotherapeutic treatment, for dependency on psychoactive substances such as alcohol, prescription drugs, and so-called street drugs such as cocaine, heroin or amphetamines...
clinic for chemically dependent adolescents and their families located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The AARC program is based on the fundamental that addiction is a disease. Patients at AARC submit to a multi-leveled round of drug treatment
Drug treatment
Drug treatment may refer to:*the treatment of illness with pharmaceutical drugs*Drug rehabilitation, the treatment of substance dependence/drug addiction*Drug Treatment, an album by by the Japanese band Kuroyume...
, which uses the Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous is an international mutual aid movement which says its "primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics achieve sobriety." Now claiming more than 2 million members, AA was founded in 1935 by Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith in Akron, Ohio...
and Narcotics Anonymous
Narcotics Anonymous
Narcotics Anonymous is a twelve-step program modeled after Alcoholics Anonymous describing itself as a "fellowship or society of men and women for whom drugs had become a major problem," and it is the second-largest 12-step organization...
twelve-step recovery
Twelve-step program
A Twelve-Step Program is a set of guiding principles outlining a course of action for recovery from addiction, compulsion, or other behavioral problems...
models, positive peer influence, group, family and individual therapy, and the use of recovery homes. AARC claims its program has an 80% success rate, and that former addicts can permanently abstain from using drugs or alcohol following treatment at the clinic. Out of the AARC graduate population "significant positive changes were noted in academic performance, family relationships, peer relationships, self-esteem, recreational activity and reduced criminal behaviour."
Program
"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."