Hello!

River Stone Recovery Centre is a non-judgmental, welcoming space providing trauma-informed treatment for substance use disorder, with a focus on opiate and stimulant replacement therapy, and wraparound social supports. We're located in Fredericton, on the traditional unceded territory of the Wəlastəkewiyik, whose ancestors along with the Mi’Kmaq and Peskotomuhkati signed Peace and Friendship Treaties with the British Crown in the 1700s.

We opened in July 2020 after receiving funding from Health Canada's Substance Use and Addiction Program in March 2020. An overview of our services, team, values and impact so far is provided on our website.

In August 2020, the team was awarded a grant from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities & Canadian Medical Association's COVID-19 Community Response Fund for Vulnerable Populations Fund to open an emergency daytime drop in centre to address the devastating impact that COVID-19 had on essential community services. The Phoenix Learning Centre opened in September 2020. 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.

River Stone's ongoing design is a collaborative process, involving people with lived and living experience of substance use disorder and the core team of physicians, nurses, social workers, mental health workers, peer support workers, and administrative staff; supported by All In, a human-centred design agency.

This Field Guide documents our story and lessons learned in three sections:

• Chapter 1: Approach

• Chapter 2: Reflections

• Chapter 3: Resources

We hope it provides insights and practical resources for others living and working at the intersection of substance use disorder, homelessness, mental illness, and poverty.

We thank the participants for their willingness to trust, share, and shape the design and culture of these spaces and our services. We thank the McConnell Foundation and Social Innovation Canada for their support of this project, and thank you for being interested in this work. We thank Shawni Beaulieu, Lab Manager, NouLab; Dr. Scott MacDonald M.D., Physician Lead, Providence Crosstown Clinic; and Erika Morton, Systems Planning Officer, Canadian Observatory on Homelessness, for their feedback during the development of the Field Guide.

With love from,

River Stone Recovery Centre & All In