Kootenay Boundary
Adult Supported Recovery Program
A residential addictions recovery program located in beautiful Nelson, BC
About KBSRP
We serve individuals who are 19 years and older who wish to change their relationship with substances and feel they would benefit from a supportive environment while doing so. We offer accommodation in one of our three substance-free program homes for up to 6 months.
During this time, participants actively pursue their wellness goals by meeting on a weekly basis with a Mental Health and Substance Use Counsellor and with our Life Skills Workers. Participants are expected to take part in therapeutic group programming for one hour a day, five days a week, in addition to optional recreational and community-based activities.
As we are a Supported Recovery Bed Program, we are best suited for self-motivated individuals who have already developed skills related to their recovery, are committed to abstaining from all non-prescribed substances during their stay with us, and would benefit from a supportive environment as they work towards building their preferred life.
Since our doors opened in February of 2017, we are proud to have offered a non-judgemental and caring program based on the foundational principles of holistic and trauma-informed care, respect, dignity, and personal empowerment. We also offer a unique harm-reduction approach which recognizes that slips and relapses are an expected part of substance use recovery. Based on this understanding, we offer wrap-around support for individuals who experience a slip or relapse while in our program and have had success with supporting people to re-engage meaningfully with their recovery after having these experiences.
Program Costs & Information
- The cost to live at the recovery program is $404 per month.
- Additionally, there is a $300 damage deposit. (Income Assistance can provide this and will take $20 off your monthly cheque to repay it over time.)
- Grocery store cards of $35 are provided to each participant each week.
Other Essential Information
- No substances are allowed on program property at any time and we are a smoke free environment.
- Participants are encouraged to stay connected to supportive friends, family members, and significant others while in the program; however, we ask participants meet with them off program property.
- Our program prioritizes applications who have a personal connection to communities within the West Kootenay Boundary; however, we accept referrals from across BC.
Apply through your local Mental Health & Substance Use Office
Please contact the KBSRP clinician at the Nelson Mental Health and Substance Use office (250-505-7248) to start a referral to the program, or with any further questions.
Alternatively, interested individuals can contact their local Mental Health and Substance Use office (by calling one of the numbers listed here) and request that a clinician in their local office complete a referral.
Nelson: (250) 505-7248
Castlegar: (250) 304-1846
Trail: (250) 364-6262
Grand Forks: (250) 442-0330
Kaslo: (250) 353-2291
Arrow Lakes: (250) 265-5253
Program Philosophy
Wellness plans are holistic and individualized
This means we view well-being as made up of social, emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual/cultural components. One size does not fit all so participants will structure their own program to match their individual goals.
All persons are treated with respect and dignity
This means creating a safe and respectful environment for participants and program staff alike. Participants are recognized and accepted as valued members of the community and the unique strengths and qualities of each participant are recognized.
We meet people where they are at
This means we recognize that slips and relapses are part of the recovery process and we support clients to work through them. We invite participants to define their own substance use goals; however we do ask that people take a break from substances while living in the program homes.
Program policies are trauma-informed
This means we acknowledge the link between past trauma and present day substance use and mental health concerns, and we work with participants to reconnect them to their community and social support network. At all stages of the program, we uphold participant safety, choice, and collaborative decision-making as guiding principles.
Our Vision
To be a home where people build bridges to a full, rich, and beautiful life
in a community where they feel they belong.
We Strongly Believe
- We are all on this journey together
- Community is essential for healing
- We all have our own relationships with substances
- Change is always possible
- Success looks different for each one of us
- We have a right to define our own recovery and recieve support that is free on stigma, judgement, and shame
- We have a responsibility to reconciliation and Indigenization
- In creating a safe and welcoming space for all LGBTQIA+ and Two Spirit people
- We are all worthy of respect, dignity, love, and the opportunity to live our best life
Get in Touch
Ryall Giuliano
Life Skills Worker
Jen Worman
Program Manager + Life Skills Worker
- ankors.recovery@gmail.com
- 250-551-0754
- (Please do not use this phone number to refer yourself to the program, instead call your local MHSU office at one of the phone numbers listed on this page above.)
Meagan Zunti
Life Skills Worker
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the referral process work and how are applications to the program approved?
Please contact the KBSRP clinician at the Nelson Mental Health and Substance Use office (250-505-7248) to start a referral, or with any further questions. Alternatively, interested individuals can contact their local Mental Health and Substance Use office and request that a clinician in their local office complete a referral.
Once a referral has been completed, the program clinician presents all referral information to the KBSRP team at our weekly team meeting and the team makes a decision about whether a candidate is appropriate for the supports offered by this program. If approved, prospective participants can expect to wait two (2) to four (4) weeks for an intake date. Please note that although we accept referrals from all over BC, our program prioritizes applications who have a personal connection to communities within the West Kootenay Boundary.
Can I work, attend school, or volunteer while I am in the program?
We support our participants to engage in meaningful activities that will contribute to their wellness and this can include work, school, and/or volunteering. If you are engaged in any of these activities, it is preferable that you arrange your schedule to accommodate our scheduled programming. If this is not possible, we will work with you to come up with a plan that allows you to stay engaged with our programming while still following through with your outside commitments.
Can I have guests while I’m in the program?
Guests are permitted after you have been in the program for three months. Guest visits can only happen during staff hours and with prior approval.
*Exceptional circumstances may be considered with regards to visitors in the first three (3) months of the program. If you wish for your circumstances to be reviewed, please speak to a KBSRP staff person. All exceptions must be reviewed by the KBSRP team as a whole before they will be approved.
Can I stay overnight outside of the program or go on vacation?
We understand that there may be circumstances in which you wish to go on vacation or spend a night or two with friends or family while you are in the program. To make sure you are safe and that we know where you are, overnights must be pre-arranged, we will ask you to share your location, and you will be required to keep in daily contact with us while you’re away.
Are participants of the program assigned to houses based on their gender?
Our housing units are gendered; however, we offer an inclusive space where gender is self-identified and where participants who identify as LGBTQIA+ and Two Spirit are placed according to where they identify they will feel the safest. Staff and participants of the program use the name and pronoun(s) specified by any participant and unless otherwise requested, staff of the KBSRP will keep all personal information related to gender confidential.
What are some reasons someone might be asked to leave the program?
We have a zero-tolerance policy for violence, harassment, and aggressive behaviour, which includes bringing weapons on site. We also have a zero-tolerance policy for participants who bring unauthorized guests onto the housing sites. Participants may also be asked to leave the program if they are consistently behaving in a way that is disruptive to roommates and/or neighbours or if they are not following through with their commitment to attend programming and individual sessions while in the program.
What happens if I use non-prescribed substances while I’m in the program?
The expectation of the program is that you take a break from all non-prescribed substances for the 6 months that you are with us. However, we recognize that slips and relapses can be part of the recovery process and we will support you to work through them if they occur. If you have a slip or experience a relapse: Talk to us! Both the program clinician and the life skills staff are here to support you with finding ways to learn from the experience and get back on track.
What happens if my roommate starts using?
Because we are a program that supports participants who have slip or a relapse, you can expect to be living with a roommate who is using at some point during your 6-month stay with us. We strive to create a culture of open transparency within the program and in order to properly support you and your roommates, we request that you inform staff immediately if you are aware of other program participants using substances or engaging in potentially harmful behaviours. Staff will respond as soon as we are aware that someone has experienced a slip and we ask for your patience and understanding as we create a supportive recovery plan with anyparticipants who are working to get back on track.
Will you search my room when I am in the program?
Staff will conduct random searches of the houses throughout the week. Please note that we will be going through all personal belongings left on site. The purpose of these searches is to create safety within each of the houses and to ensure that the sites remain substance free. We will be removing all substances, paraphernalia, and weapons that we discover. If we find anything in your belongings that we need to remove, we will meet with you to discuss this and, if necessary, sign a behavioural agreement.
Can I use medical marijuana if I have a prescription?
Prescription oral cannabinoids are permitted in the KBSRP when prescribed by your doctor. These medications are human-made and provide similar benefits to the natural substances found in cannabis. They are dispensed through your pharmacy like any other medication and are available to you free of cost if you are receiving Income Assistance.
Prescription oral cannabinoids are the only form of cannabinoid medication you may use while you are in the program. If you plan on using prescription oral cannabinoids while you are with us, please make sure you are using them as prescribed prior to arrival in the program and that you have
prescription refills available to you.
Can I still come into the program if I am renting a home somewhere else?
You are welcome to enter the KBSRP if you have permanent housing in the community.
However, please be aware that if you chose to do this you will be required to pay both our program fee and your existing rental amount. If you are receiving financial assistance through the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction they may not agree to pay for your existing rental amount and out program simultaneously. Please speak with program staff if you require assistance with advocacy in this area. At this time our program is only able to support those participants who commit to living full in time in our designated program homes.
Unfortunately, pets are not permitted in the KBSRP units. Please find a foster placement for any pets prior to entering the program.
Can you accommodate couples and/or kids?
Please speak further with the program clinician if either of these scenarios impact your application to this program. Our ability to accommodate either couples or children in the program is situation dependent and will require further information before a decision can be reached.
Funded and Supported by:
