The Alberta government has put Thorpe Recovery Centre’s funding worries to rest.
Premier Jason Kenney announced they will be funding the centre with $2.21 million a year over the next three years. The money will go to opening 574 more treatment spaces including addiction treatment and medical detox spaces.
Thorpe Recovery Centre CEO Teressa Krueckl says the announcement comes at a good time as the organization has been struggling without a proper funding model.
“There were many talks about maybe closing our doors and how long we could sustain ourselves staying in a facility this size without a proper funding model. It’s been difficult over the last eight years and we’re excited that we have a government that’s interested in offering options and reducing barriers for Albertans.”
At the moment, the centre has 8 beds open for Albertans in residential treatment per month. Krueckl says with the funding that will be increasing to 38 treatment beds and 8 beds in the detox program.
“Over the course of the last eight years, we have operated at only about 30 per cent. It’s been a lot of difficult years for us in trying to maintain a high level of service in our operations so we’re definitely thrilled that there will be public beds opening up and we can begin to fill our building.”
She says they will be maintaining their current services and staff up before opening more spaces in the 54,000 square foot building.
The government will also be giving $1.56 million a year to the Fresh Start Recovery Centre and $518,000 to Sunrise Healing Lodge, both in Calgary, over the next three years. The investment comes from a $140 million commitment to expand access to addiction treatments and recovery support in the province.