The grand opening was a multi-day event which began on May 30, 2015 with a sweat lodge ceremony in the morning.
Nelson House Medicine Lodge Addictions Treatment Facility Opens Doors after $2.5 Million Renovation Upgrade
NELSON HOUSE, MANITOBA – May 30, 2015 – Nelson House Medicine Lodge (NHML) Executive Director, Ed Azure, officially announced the Grand Reopening and $2.5 million facility upgrade on June 1, 2015 – after a two-year construction phase temporarily suspended residential treatment services.
The renovation project began in July 2013 with $750,000 in Capital Funding from Health Canada. After further review, and due to significant water damage and safe-workplace concerns, the project funding increased to $2.5 million. This included $200,000 from the Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation for necessary upgrades. Among the upgrades included were: new roofing, HVAC improvements, repair of structural damage and improvements to offices, residential rooms, foyer and corridors. Additional features were added to improve treatment and operational workflow as well as a staff- and graduate-recognition wall/exhibit.
Renovations were completed in May 2015 and to kick-off the celebration, an all-day Ceremony will be held, followed by a Round Dance in the evening on Saturday, May 30th, 2015. The official grand reopening ceremony and ribbon cutting is scheduled to take place at the Nelson House Medicine Lodge on June 1, 2015. This will mark the resumption of regular programming and services.
The NHML non-medical, residential alcohol and drug treatment facility will boast a new look along with upgrades to processes, products offered, and a new 8-week kNOw Alcohol and Drugs Addictions Residential Treatment Program (effectively streamlined from the previous 17-week program). The treatment program resumed with the men’s intake and a women’s program to follow.
Managers and staff were available at the event to provide details of the new features and upgrades.
NHML Executive Director, Ed Azure says, “The shorter kNOw program, although more condensed, is expected to be very effective going forward. It will make sessions more accessible and require less time commitment for participants – especially beneficial for our women’s program. We expect to increase treatment capacity from 63 participants per year to over 126 each year.”
Prior to the construction, The kNOw Alcohol and Drugs Addictions Residential Treatment Program pilot program operated three sessions with positive results. Organizers report graduation success rates increased from around 50% to over 85% with the new format. The new program has also undergone review by Health Canada to ensure quality standards.
The program is ideally suited to support the recent move from lecture-style to highly interactive workshop-style and will also host gender-specific intake groups.
“Our gender-specific program offers opportunity to improve participation for women and our new tele-health video conferencing facility is a big attraction allowing residents to keep in touch with their families and broaden the network of support,” said Ed Azure.
The Medicine Lodge was established in August 1989 to meet a growing need for a counselling and residential addictions treatment services for Indigenous Peoples of northern Manitoba. To date the NHML remains the only NNADAP alcohol and drug treatment facility servicing adult Indigenous Peoples in Manitoba’s north.
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