Christian addiction program only option for some in N.B. as waitlists for treatment grow

Ross Greene of Fredericton was in his 20s and in need of a residential rehab program. 

Addicted to stimulants and gambling, the wake-up call that forced him into recovery came from the judge sentencing him in 2019 to jail on a theft-related charge: if you keep on this path, you won't see 30.

But Greene's options were limited. For people in New Brunswick struggling with addiction, there are a total of 34 recovery beds in provincial programs that last between 60 and 90 days and have waitlists of five to eight months.

The only other residential option is Village of Hope, a 10-month program that includes Christian teachings in every element, including classes, church and the kind of reading material attendees are allowed to have. 

Village of Hope helped Greene get and stay sober, he said, but faith-based programs are not for everyone.

Advocates have said these programs should not be the only accessible option.

The New Brunswick government plans a new 50-bed residential rehab centre, but the timeline for its opening is unknown and depends on the company that takes on the project, according to a spokesperson for the Department of Health.

In September, the province sent out a request for proposals. 

Had something like an 'epiphany' in rehab

Greene said he did not believe in God when he arrived at Village of Hope in Upper Tracy, about 50 kilometres south of Fredericton.

"My first two months being in the program, I really couldn't say that I did believe, like it just didn't make sense to me." he said.

"And then one day I just had this experience, where it was just kind of like a life epiphany … And, really, that's where I could see just how real God was."

Greene said the feeling of community support was the biggest reason he stuck with it. He's now been in recovery four years and is studying psychology at the University of New Brunswick. Greene eventually wants to work somewhere where he can help people struggling with addiction.

Rev. Andrew Vähi, the executive director and co-founder of Village of Hope, understands that faith-based programs aren't for everyone.

"A lot of people's path and recovery is different and not everybody's going to choose a faith-based program," Vähi said. 

There must be different options, he said, including harm reduction, such as safe-injection sites, to long-term residential recovery.

"It's that diversity that makes us fairly complete," he said. 

"If one person chooses one path to get there and one chooses another, in the end, are they free from drugs and alcohol? Are they a success? And that's what we really want to see. We want to see people free from addiction."

Drawing 'a line in the sand'

Three days after the province announced funding to expand Village of Hope, Progressive Conservative Leader Blaine Higgs said that if re-elected, he would not fund any more safe-injection sites. He also would review the one  existing site to determine if it should stay open. Higgs said the goal is to focus on recovery.

New Brunswick's only safe-injection site is at Ensemble Moncton. It offers clean needles, a space where people can have their drugs tested and has staff trained to respond in the case of an overdose.

Debby Warren, the executive director of Ensemble, said safe-injection sites prevent overdose deaths and connect people with workers who can support them when they start recovery. 

While she agrees that faith-based programs have a role to play, she is concerned the recent announcement by Higgs sends the message that New Brunswick wants to offer limited recovery options.

"It looks like they drew the line in the sand, the politicians," Warren said.

She and other front-line workers were also concerned by Higgs's plan for legislation that would have empowered police to force people into addiction treatment against their will. A bill wasn't introduced before the legislature was dissolved.

Vähi said his program would not accept anyone who doesn't want to be there and who doesn't arrive voluntarily.

"Even if you really want to change, addiction is a hard thing to overcome," he said. "They have to be ready to change their life."

Different funding for different programs

The funding for the expansion at Village of Hope is in addition to about $806,000 the non-profit received in various capital grants, between 2023 and 2020, from the Regional Development Corporation, a provincial Crown corporation that leads some economic development efforts.

The province also partially funds other non-profit recovery services, including Saint John-based Sophia Recovery Centre, which offers group classes and peer support. 

According to the non-profit registry, Sophia Recovery Centre received about $626,000 in provincial funding between 2020 and 2023. 

Julie Atkinson, executive director of the centre, said three locations in the Saint John and surrounding areas serve about 500 women a year.

"All the services we provide are free of charge, and we offer one-on-one peer mentoring supports," she said. "It's a space where women can come together to enjoy activities like art, sewing, music, knitting — various things that women can do together to build social connections and build resilience for a healthy life."

Unlike Village of Hope, the funding for the Sophia centre comes from the Department of Health and requires mandatory, annual reporting and evidence-based programming.

She said evidence-based means they're guided by published research into the effectiveness of different approaches to maintaining recovery. She said they're always updating how they work based on the latest research.

Vähi said the funding Village of Hope has received from the province is only for buildings and capital projects, not programming, and none of the provincial funding is from the Department of Health. He said the remaining expenses are covered by donors, client fees, and revenue from the sawmill, sugar shack and pallet-building business located at the facility in Tracy.

Vähi said attendees work at the on-site businesses, but don't get paid. 

"If we are earning any money, of course 100 per cent of that goes right back into reducing costs."

He said the cost of the 10-month program, including room and board, is about $2,000 a month, depending on a person's means. Vähi said the program helps people apply for social assistance.

Being able to offer a Christian-based recovery program is part of "the beauty of Canada," and he hopes the province will find ways to provide funding to all different kinds of treatment and recovery programs.

As for Ross Greene, he wants all New Brunswickers trying to change to have the same support he did.

"I could just see the unconditional love of the staff … and my thinking was challenged in a lot of ways."