Mental Health and Addictions

Purpose

Our Mental Health and Addictions Program is designed to provide outpatient counselling to Aboriginal people of the North Okanagan and surrounding area.

Our services are available to all people seeking help or information on substance misuse and associated problems.

The Mental Health and Addictions Counsellor will assist you to examine your individual situation and help match you to appropriate services.

Our Goal

Our goal is to provide services which empower Aboriginal people and others to achieve personal wellness through avoidance or reduction of the misuse of alcohol and/or drugs and their harmful effects.

Our Philosophy

Our philosophy is to provide culturally appropriate treatment based on the medicine wheel. We believe that individuals are unique and that treatment approaches must be determined through assessment of ones’ physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellness.

Services Provided

We provide individual, family, couple and group counselling.

Assessment

The counsellor will help you to establish an individualized treatment plan.

Referrals

Based on your needs, we will provide referrals to the appropriate community services such as:

• Residential Treatment
• Support Recovery
• Detox
• Self-Help Groups
• Native Court Workers
• and other agencies

Aftercare and Follow Up

Continued counselling services are available following discharge from residential treatment.

Outreach Services

The counsellor can arrange visits to homes, hospitals and correctional centres if needed.

Education and Prevention Services

• Relapse Prevention – Individual and Group
• Wellbriety Group
• Personal Development
• Self-Awareness
• Cultural Workshops
• Ceremony  * Sweat Ceremony  * Pipe Ceremony  *other Cultural Healing Ceremonies

Eligibility

Our services are available to anyone seeking help or information regarding their own or someone else’s substance misuse and associated difficulties.

Confidentiality

All information is confidential within the limits of the law. Any information that is requested from other agencies or any individual would require that the client sign their consent to release any such information.

Clients will be informed of the limits of counsellor confidentiality at their initial session with the counsellor.

Rights & Responsibilities

• The client has the right to be treated with dignity and respect
• The client has the right to be treated as an individual
• The client has the right to make informed choices

Health and Safety

The counsellor cannot and will not see any individual who is intoxicated. Safety of clients and staff is a priority.

People are responsible for the choices they make, and we, the North Okanagan Friendship Center Staff are responsible to you, and not for you and your choices and actions.