Our Values
We Believe
Everyone deserves access to safe, non-judgmental and welcoming medical treatment to begin healing and recovery.
Everyone has potential to improve their situation when they are provided with the right supports.
Treatment for substance use disorder must be unbiased, trauma informed and culturally sensitive, and must include medical, psychological and social aspects.
In alignment with these values, we take a person-centred, trauma informed, harm reductionist, and evidence-based approach.
(To learn more about how we apply these approaches, visit our Social R& D Field Guide).
Person-Centred
Seeing participants as people, rather than their problems or choices, and supporting their self-determined journey to recovery.
Trauma-Informed
Acknowledging that most participants have experienced some form of trauma in their life, and that the health care system and providers can re-traumatize clients.
Harm-Reductionist
Prioritising the reduction of negative social and physical consequences of human behaviours.
Evidence-Based
Delivering medical and social interventions with strong empirical data to support their effectiveness in harm reduction, and contributing to the scientific knowledge base.
Our Impact
560+
participants served at River Stone Recovery Centre
10
knowledge products shared with similar centres across Canada to replicate our model
83%
reduction in illicit opioid use by iOAT patients after 18 months
70%
of iOAT patients attribute improvements in their physical and/or mental health to the program
River Stone Recover Centre's measurable impact within its first two years of operation.
In response to the devastating impact that COVID-19 had on essential community services, the team established an emergency daytime drop in centre: the Phoenix Learning Centre. After being moved from its initial location due to concerns from neighbouring businesses, the centre's subsequent location was closed in April 2021 after zoning complications prohibited its continued operation.
During it's 6 months of operations, the Phoenix Learning Centre:
Hosted 6690 individual visits
Provided 1770 showers and 9705 meals
Helped 16 guests find housing
Employed 3 people with lived experience and found employment elsewhere for 4 guests
To learn more about our journey, visit our Social R& D Field Guide