Jen Horsnall, Executive Director and Julia Metin, Certified Addiction Counsellor
Amidst this growing global disquiet affecting nations worldwide, Canada unfolds a distinct yet daunting narrative - one marked by intergenerational Indian Residential School (IRS) trauma. It acts as a relentless scourge on the mental health and well-being of Canada’s indigenous population, accumulating across many generations.
A residential treatment facility specializing in mental health and addiction treatments, Kapown Rehabilitation Center, checks all the boxes to become a trusted partner, helping patients drive the best path of recovery. Located on the Kapawe’no First Nation overlooking the beautiful Buffalo Bay in Northern Alberta, the facility excels at addressing the internalized and intergenerational traumas of individuals belonging to Canada’s indigenous population. Its treatment programs are guided by a proven, holistic approach to healing rooted in indigenous traditions and values, allowing the facility to deliver a suite of superior healing and recovery experiences to its patients. Kapown Rehabilitation Center ensures effective support, meaningful interventions, and accessible pathways to better address their mental health issues and addictions.
“We ensure each individual entering our treatment program has the very best chance in their recovery,” says Jennifer Horsnall, executive director at Kapown Rehabilitation Center.
This relentless passion for offering patientcentric, result-driven services stems from Chief Frank Halcrow, who laid the foundations for Kapown Rehabilitation Center. His mission was to establish a reliable facility that could provide indigenous Canadian communities with comprehensive services, helping them overcome internalized depression and addiction to alcohol and drugs. Building on the same legacy, it has now emerged as a leading residential treatment facility that delivers individualized treatment plans for patients, with a diverse team of professionals specialized and trained to make their journey as therapeutic and barrierfree as possible.
Kapown Rehabilitation Center’s treatment philosophy hinges on the recognition that addiction is a disease that affects a person physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Its accredited programs are then carefully crafted to offer client-focused therapeutic and inclusive experience to all, ensuring the highest chances of recovery based on the scientific evidence. A synthesis of cognitive-behavioral, solution-focused, introduction to mindfulness, motivationally enhanced therapies, and a twelve-step facilitation model, these programs help individuals find motivation, skills, resources, and inner strength needed to maintain a clean and balanced lifestyle. The facility also embeds First Nation cultural practices based on Western Cree tradition in every treatment course plan.
Its offerings include a 63-day residential treatment program, a 42-day outpatient program, six-month second-stage programs, summer family camps, and winter camps. The 63-day residential treatment program receives direct funding from the National Native Alcohol and Drug Abuse Program (NNADAP) and is structured into four sections. The first is a one-week stabilization period, where patients acquaint themselves with the treatment environment, truly embarking on a journey of detoxification. During this period, the team conducts comprehensive mental health assessments to sculpt a bespoke path to healing based on individual needs. Once the stabilization period is successfully traversed, patients transition into phase one—a two-week program to uncover the core of their trauma and the reasons guiding them toward recovery. Here, they unravel the threads of their addiction’s origins and factors that contribute to their struggles, forging a transformation path.
We prioritize client’s healing journey and strive to facilitate recovery in a way that resonates with each individual
Kapown Rehabilitation Center’s 42-day outpatient program offers an added advantage for them as the sessions are thoughtfully spread over three days each week. It provides evidence-based training while allowing clients to follow their normal life routine during these sessions. The six-month second-stage program, on the other hand, is a program offered to interested clients as an extension for those who have completed the 63-day residential treatment program. This program provides affordable housing along with life skills training and necessary work experience.
The summer family camp is yet another service offered by Kapown Rehabilitation Center that provides an opportunity for in-house clients to revive their familial bonds and embrace their cultural heritage and nature. Conducted in July every year on the northern side of Lesser Slave Lake, it includes activities like boating, tubing, fishing, dry meat preparation, and drum making. These camps offer childcare facilities, allowing adults to enjoy and participate in the sessions. Adding to these well-knit services is its winter camp, held during the month of February for in-house clients.
Kapown Rehabilitation Center’s commitment to delivering holistic healing experiences extends to land-based practices, which foster a deep connection with nature. It cares for residents and offers comprehensive daily programs, including horse therapy, massage therapy and acupuncture for pain management, and weekly yoga and meditation sessions. It conducts cultural programs and featured workshops with elders, traditional sweats, and pipe ceremonies for restoring one’s connection with their roots.
The team at Kapown Rehabilitation Center considers each patient as a separate entity and the opportunity for growth and program improvement. Every client is onboarded into their facility after thorough assessments to identify their unique needs and desires. The team remains open to incorporating clients’ suggestions at any point in the treatment journey. Whether integrating land-based teachings or letter-burning ceremonies, the team is willing to do all that it takes to enable an enriching experience for clients.
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We ensure each individual entering our treatment programs has the very best chance in their recovery
“We prioritize our client’s healing journey and strive to facilitate recovery in a way that resonates with each individual,” says Horsnall.
Adapting and Evolving: Applauding Successes
Kapown Rehabilitation Center stands as a beacon of hope, extending its compassionate support to numerous individuals and transforming their adversities into boundless possibilities. A recent success involves a youth from New Brunswick who approached Kapown Rehabilitation Center as a last resort. Having faced the depths of despair through multiple suicide attempts, he found solace in the care of its team that delved deep into his needs and aspirations, helping him build healthier habits. He maintained his sobriety and underwent a life-changing shift that ignited a passion for education.
Successes like this stand as a testament to Kapown Rehabilitation Center’s unwavering commitment to offering patient-specific care and attention to all. Its exceptional team, comprising healthcare professionals and psychologists, provides comprehensive pre- and aftercare services, facilitating a seamless transition to a brighter future. Many team members have faced the addiction’s trials firsthand, bearing witness to its far-reaching effects on their own families. This endows them with a profound empathy that sets the center’s approach to recovery apart.
However, with the increasing complexities of mental health issues among clients due to the growing use of opioids and methamphetamine, Kapown Rehabilitation Center aims to bolster programs to provide the necessary support for their well-being. Its distinct approaches, rooted in indigenous traditions and values, have garnered recognition and interest from conferences and workshops throughout Canada.
Kapown Rehabilitation Center’s functioning is directly funded by Indigenous Services Canada. In November, the center unveiled a new 32-bed facility, expanding its capacity to serve an even greater number of clients. For the road ahead, Kapown Rehabilitation Center will remain steadfast in empowering its clients and perpetuating its lasting legacy.
