About Us

Fresh Start Recovery Centre has helped impact and recover many lives in Calgary these past 27 years and we are confident that they have the knowledge, experience and ability necessary to expand and modernize the operations of Fresh Start Lethbridge to meet the increasing demand for a recovery-oriented system of care in Lethbridge and Southern Alberta.
– John R. King, Former SCRC Board Chair

About Fresh Start Recovery

Reach out. We are here to help.

Fresh Start Recovery is a nationally recognized organization seen as a leader in the addiction sector. Established in 1992 and now with locations in both Calgary and Lethbridge, we continue to provide solutions that recover lives by housing, treating, and supporting individuals affected by addiction.

Fresh Start Recovery’s treatment program recognizes addiction as a chronic brain disorder. Treatment can help facilitate a life of recovery, empowering individuals to live healthy and productive lives free from the effects of addiction.

We employ an interdisciplinary approach to treating addiction specifically tailored to an individual’s needs. Fresh Start Recovery aligns with the philosophy that recovery is a process of restoring an individual’s sense of belonging through the re-connection to self, others, and community. We utilize a comprehensive goal-setting strategy, building resiliency through developing and exploring interpersonal relationships, spirituality, education, employment, housing, culture, and a further introspective look at oneself.

This approach is enhanced through recreational and therapeutic activities conducted in an atmosphere conducive to physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual growth. Our peer support model runs in unison with our treatment model of integrated chronic care, a base derived from the 12-step abstinence model of recovery and underpinned by a biopsychosocial-spiritual model of therapy.

Our staffing model is exceptionally diverse and eclectic in nature. We have approximately 300 years of combined lived experience amongst our employees, giving us the ability to bring forth a practical, empirically based approach to treatment, reinforced with varying degrees of academic recognition. Our insight, compassion and understanding of addiction and recovery allow us to offer our clients a safe refuge from addiction and engage them to become part of our Recovery Community.

The Calgary Residence

Site 1

Fresh Start’s Calgary location – Site 1 is a 50-bed long term recovery addiction treatment centre for men. We base our program on the 12 steps model. We provide a comfortable environment where men, women and families can get the support they need and learn to live healthy, rewarding and fulfilling lives in recovery.

The Lethbridge Residences

Site 2

Fresh Start Lethbridge location is a 23-bed long term addiction treatment centre for both men and women. Located in the beautiful Lethbridge country side we base our program on the 12 steps model and the Family Systems Method. We provide a comfortable environment where men, women and families can get the support they need and learn to live healthy, rewarding and fulfilling lives in recovery.

Fresh Start Site 2 in Lethbridge Alberta was originally named Napi Lodge when it was established in 1976. From there, the name changed from Napi Lodge to South Country in 1982. In 2020 a friendly acquisition between South Country in Lethbridge and Fresh Start Recovery Centre in Calgary emerged into what we know today as Fresh Start Recovery Centre – Lethbridge.

The friendly  acquisition sought to combine Fresh Start’s programming and leadership with South Country’s history and facilities making for a recipe for successful long-term addiction recovery in Lethbridge.

Fresh Start treatment program follows the disease concept: We see addiction as an illness that is progressive and often fatal if untreated. This illness is a chronic brain disorder with many contributing factors.  The good news is that with treatment and a program of recovery, you can live a healthy, happy, and productive life. Recovery is real, attainable, and sustainable.

Our program includes daily individual and group counseling sessions throughout the course of the program. This is reinforced with enhanced recreational and therapeutic activities conducted in an atmosphere conducive to physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual growth  – This Lethbridge location serves BOTH men and women.

We see many lives restored and families who have been brought together through this process.

Our nationally recognized treatment program offers an individual approach to recovery. There is no one size fits all treatment. Our 14-16-week program includes individual counseling, group facilitated treatment/healing, fitness, balanced nutritional meals and an opportunity to build and enhance recovery capital.

The peer support component of our program runs parallel to our core treatment model of integrated chronic care. We employ the 12 Step abstinence model of recovery as our base for treatment and this is supported within a bio-psycho-social model of therapy.

It is said that our recovery is based on the daily maintenance of our spiritual program. The 12-step model for addiction treatment and recovery is the program designed to help us achieve that daily maintenance. The steps are a step-by-step process that lays out a design for living life on life’s terms clean and sober.

Overall oversight will be delivered by The Fresh Start board of directors, Fresh Start Executive Director Bruce Holstead, Director of Operations Jennifer Kent-Charpentier while daily onsite Lethbridge operations is managed by Operational Program Manager Brandi Peterson.

If you are interested in treatment at this location, please call 403-387-6266 and speak to an intake coordinator.

 

85049, Range Rd 212, Lethbridge, AB T1J 5N9 Phone(403) 329-6603

Site 3

Fresh Start’s newest Lethbridge location -Site 3 is a 50-bed long term Recovery Community for men adjacent to our other location in Lethbridge. Along with treating individuals and supporting them for a longer period we are able to gather both sites and our community for milestone meetings, Gratitude ceremonies and 12 step meetings.

Fresh Start Recovery’s Recovery Community is a government-funded, independently-run addiction treatment centre in Lethbridge.

Recovery communities are an important part of the Alberta Recovery Model, providing Albertans struggling with addiction access to holistic, long-term treatment free of charge.

Recovery community programming focuses on holistic addiction recovery, addressing the whole person and overall lifestyle changes needed to regain physical and mental health and wellness.

Clients can stay in a recovery community for up to one year and take part in programming that helps them improve their health and build skills to support their recovery. They can access a range of services, including opioid agonist treatment medications, counselling, employment, training, as well as financial and housing supports.

Our nationally recognized treatment program offers an individual approach to recovery. There is no one size fits all treatment. Our 14-16-week program includes individual counseling, group facilitated treatment/healing, fitness, balanced nutritional meals and an opportunity to build and enhance recovery capital. Clients are able to stay in supported living for up to one year with continued recovery programming.

Overall oversight will be delivered by The Fresh Start board of directors, Fresh Start Executive Director Bruce Holstead, Director of Operations Jennifer Kent-Charpentier while daily onsite Lethbridge operations is managed by Operational Program Manager Britt Isenor.

If you are interested in treatment at this location, please call 403-387-6266 and speak to an intake coordinator.

 

85043, Range Rd 212, Lethbridge, AB T1J 5N9 Phone(403) 329-6603

The House at Site 1 in Calgary features:

  • 26 client rooms
  • Group and individual counseling rooms
  • Meditation room
  • Gymnasium
  • Dining hall
  • Three hot meals
  • Weight room
  • Games room
  • Movie theatre
  • Laundry room
  • Clothing donation room
  • Proximity to major transit routes
  • Wheelchair accessible

The House at Site 2 in Lethbridge feature:

  • 23 client beds
  • Group and individual counseling rooms
  • Meditation room
  • Dining hall
  • Three hot meals
  • Weight room
  • Laundry room
  • Outdoor volleyball court
  • Auxiliary buildings

The House at Site 3 in Lethbridge features:

  • 50 combined individual and double occupancy rooms
  • Group and individual counselling rooms
  • Meditation room
  • Dining hall
  • Three hot meals
  • Weight room
  • Laundry room
  • Recreation room
  • Theater
  • Weight Room

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COMMUNITY PARTNERS

The Government of Alberta supports Recovery Oriented Systems of Care and Recovery-Oriented Communities of Care which include addiction treatment and post-treatment housing. Their goal is to create lasting Recovery in Alberta for individuals, families, and entire communities promoting the fact that Recovery is Real, Attainable, and Sustainable. All Albertans can experience the positive and healing effects of Recovery Capital. For more information please visit their website https://www.alberta.ca/addiction-mental-health.aspx

for more information about Fresh Start Recovery Centre or any of our programs.

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