Safe House Program

Safe House and Life Skills Programs Referral Package

THE SAFE HOUSE PROGRAM

NOW Canada Society operates 4 safe homes within the City of Kelowna. 

NOW has 3 homes in our 1st stage of housing with a total of 12 beds.  Participants are required to have a minimum of 5 days without substance use.  These homes provide structure, accountability, and consistency to women early in recovery.  Connie’s House has a live-in House Director.  Gail’s House is currently being run as a Mom/Child Home with staff in attendance from 4:00pm to 7:00am daily.  The 3rd home has staff from 8:00pm to 7:00am with staff or peer mentors attending mandatory dinners 4 nights per week.      

The 2nd age of housing is the Follow-Care Home which has 4 beds.  This is for Participants who have a minimum of 8 months without substance use, a solid program of recovery and attend school, work or programming full time.  Although there is no staff supervision, less structure and fewer rules, participants are still required to comply with drug screens and weekly meetings with their support worker.  Once participants have approximately ten months without substance use and have demonstrated living a healthy life style they may be eligible to apply for a low-income apartment.      

ESSENTIALS LIFESKILLS PROGRAM 

This classroom environment has been established to provide a program that meets the specific needs of the participants.  Many different areas in life skills are explored in a four-month program which runs Monday to Friday.  Modules included in the Essentials program are: 

TRAUMA THERAPY PROGRAM 

Participants in Essentials are eligible to receive trauma therapy. Trauma therapy provides participant with the opportunity for healing past and current traumas. Participants gain insight and awareness as to what brought them to where they are today and the necessary skills to make healthier choices in the future. 

EQUINE THERAPY PROGRAM 

The Equine Therapy program is available to participants in the Essentials program as part of dealing with personal and interpersonal behavioral issues.  In this program, participants work with a trained equine therapist who guides them in how to relate to and manage horses.  In the process of relating to the horses, participants discover many things about themselves which helps them to identify and address their own personal issues. 

THE FOLLOW CARE PROGRAM 

Upon completion of Essentials, participants have the opportunity to become part of the NOW Canada’s Follow Care Program.  This program has been established so that support, contact and encouragement can be provided to those participants ready to leave NOW and branch out on their own.  A contact schedule is set up and a follow care plan is developed and implemented with each individual. Participants remain active in the Follow Care Program for as long as they require this support. 

PROGRAM FEES 

Minimum 5 days without substance use: 

$550.00 room and board for participants on income assistance. 
$800.00 room and board for participants on PWD.  

Follow-Care minimum 8 months without substance use:

$450.00 rent.  Residents are responsible for own food.

Exceptions may be made for those participants who are ineligible to receive any form of financial assistance.   

There is currently no fee for community participants who attend Essentials. 

 

ESSENTIALS REFERRAL FORM 

• Women between the ages of 15 to 40 who are willing and motivated to make life style changes. Exceptions may be made to women over 40 depending on circumstances.
• Must have 5 days or 8 months without substance use depending on the stage of housing you are applying for.
• Must be physically and mentally able to take part in all activities. Because we do not have 24 hour supports in our homes, we are unable to accept clients who self-harm, have an eating disorder, are suicidal or violent, or have mental health issues that are not being treated or that require more supervision or support than NOW can provide.
• Are required to attend 2 -12 step meetings per week.
• Essentials is an abstinence based program and urine drug screens are conducted bi-weekly and randomly.
• Methadone or Methadose is not permitted.
• Opiates and benzos are not permitted.
• Suboxone is accepted.

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