Future Programs
Many youth begin their journey with us at the emergency shelter, where staff develop rapport and relationships with them.
Youth who are abusing substances can request support and services through the C.O.R.E program, which is the beginning of their new journey.
Afterwards, they will be able to transition to our R.E.S.T. program, where addiction care workers will provide support during detoxification, allowing their body to rest and rid itself of all substances.
Finally, survivors of human trafficking will be able to transition to our A.R.I.S.E. program, where they will be supported in self-empowerment, creating boundaries, and blossoming into the people they were created to be.
Our Model
Withdrawal Management Programs
One of the greatest challenges our youth face is a lack of specific withdrawal management services; a place where they can go to be supported as they try to detox from alcohol and drugs that they may be addicted to. Countless times, we encounter youth whose lives are being ruined by addictions. When they do make the decision to try and stop, they are often faced with the choice of doing so on their own because there are not enough withdrawal management spaces in our city and in our province. Furthermore, detoxification is often a requirement in order to be admitted into substance use treatment.
Did you know?
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Ottawa has less than 40 beds for detoxification and withdrawal management for all individuals aged 16 years plus.
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Ottawa does not have any dedicated services for youth detoxification and withdrawal management.
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Ottawa youth have disclosed that they are deterred from seeking assistance at existing programs because they feel unsafe as a result of the age of older adults present at these programs.
Our response to this challenge:
R.E.S.T. Withdrawal Management Centre
R – Recovery-Oriented
E – Evidence-Based
S – Supportive
T – Trauma-Informed Approach
R.E.S.T. program – a place where youth will come to get away from their life and focus on their personal recovery while allowing rest to their mind, body and spirit with our support. This program is a temporary haven and the first step in their long journey to recovery and wellness.
The R.E.S.T. Withdrawal Management Centre will begin by offering a supervised co-ed level two facility operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week. As it is a level two facility, clients will be managed by addiction care workers with medical consultation, as required. This includes clients who are using narcotics. There will be two beds specifically designated for survivors of human trafficking entering Restoring Hope Ministries human trafficking safe house, as detoxification is a prerequisite to the program. This will be a low barrier access program allowing clients to arrive in a state of crisis or intoxication. The average length of stay will be between seven to fourteen days, with a possibility of extension. Individuals will be able to self-refer or have a referral completed by a member of the community. While in the program, youth will have access to hygiene products, clothing and nutritional meals. They will be offered additional supports for mental health, housing, trauma, financial stability, etc. Addiction care workers will partner with community organizations to provide a smooth transition to long-term treatment.
As detoxification is the first step on the journey to recovery, success may include fewer negative symptoms related to the use of alcohol and/or drugs, less injuries, less overdoses, less criminal activity in our city and better overall functioning of the youth.
Safe House for Sexually Exploited/Trafficked Women
Ottawa lacks sufficient support services to meet the needs of victims and survivors of human trafficking who require alternative options to a safe house. These services include drop-in support, accessible health care services, and psychological care.
The most common barriers to supporting those being trafficked include a lack of funding and resources, the stigma around sexually trafficked persons and sex work, a lack of knowledge regarding human trafficking, and the psychological manipulation that victims face at the hands of their traffickers. Stakeholders have expressed that the information on human trafficking available in Ottawa is minimal and inaccurate, causing significant barriers to receiving support from the city, the province, and the federal government.
Did you know?
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Human trafficking is a significant problem in Ottawa and across Ontario. Approximately two-thirds of police-reported human trafficking cases in Canada occur in Ontario.
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The average age at which youth are being trafficked is 13 years old.
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Many survivors of human trafficking feel unsafe accessing regular shelters, as traffickers may attempt to groom or recruit individuals into the sex industry from shelters because of their perceived vulnerability.
Our response to this challenge:
A.R.I.S.E. Women’s Programs
A – Advocate
R – Recreation
I – Intervention
S – Safety
E – Experience
Safe Houses
Initially, Restoring Hope Ministries will operate one safe house for female survivors of human trafficking. We will have 4-8 beds, along with outreach services and day programs. In the future, as more young men are being sexually exploited, a safe house will be sought to assist them as well.
