Oxford House Saskatchewan has opened four new sober living homes in Prince Albert, adding 21 spaces for people recovering from addictions after treatment and working toward long-term sobriety.
The homes were officially opened Wednesday during a ceremony at the East End Community Arena. The program included a smudge, land acknowledgement, opening prayer and ribbon cutting before media and dignitaries toured one of the homes.
The locations of the homes are not being published to protect the privacy and safety of residents.
Mark Soloway, CEO of Oxford House Saskatchewan, said the homes are meant for people who have recently completed addictions treatment and need a safe, sober and affordable place to continue their recovery.
“For many people leaving treatment, the question is not whether they want to stay sober, the question is whether they have a safe place to go, whether they have the support they need, and whether they have the opportunity to rebuild their lives,” Soloway said.
Arjun Pillai/Daily Herald
A look inside one of the new Oxford House Saskatchewan sober living homes in Prince Albert.
Soloway said Oxford House provides more than a place to live. He said the homes offer stability, accountability and belonging for people who are trying to move forward after treatment.
The province provided $900,000 through the Ministry of Social Services and the Saskatchewan Housing Corporation’s Rental Development Program to help acquire the four homes.
Terry Jenson, Minister of Social Services and Minister Responsible for Saskatchewan Housing Corporation, said supportive housing is an important part of helping people return to their communities.
“Supportive housing offers more than a safe and affordable place to live,” Jenson said. “It provides the services, stability, and support that individuals need to build independence and successfully transition back into their communities.”
Jenson said Saskatchewan Housing Corporation has worked with Oxford House since 2007 to develop recovery spaces in Regina and Saskatoon. He said the success in those communities gives the province confidence the new Prince Albert homes will make a difference.
Lori Carr, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, Seniors and Rural and Remote Health, said recovery does not end when a person leaves treatment.
“Recovery is a journey,” Carr said. “It requires support in the short term, the medium term, and the long term.”
Carr said the Prince Albert homes are part of the province’s plan to add 500 addictions treatment spaces across Saskatchewan. With the opening, she said 333 new spaces are now available.
Arjun Pillai/Daily Herald
A living area inside one of the new Oxford House Saskatchewan sober living homes in Prince Albert.
In a scrum after the ceremony, Carr said sober living spaces are important because they provide wraparound support after treatment.
“What it does is it creates a recovery community, recovery capital for these individuals to be able to help them stay sober and clean,” Carr said.
Soloway said Oxford House receives referrals from treatment facilities across Saskatchewan. Applications are reviewed by an intake coordinator, usually within 24 to 48 hours.
He said applicants must have completed treatment within the past 12 months, be at risk of houselessness and be “ready, willing, and able to be sober.”
As of Wednesday morning, Soloway said 11 people had already moved into the new Prince Albert spaces. The remaining spaces were booked until the end of July. Oxford House also had a waitlist of 72 people across its system.
“The demand is still outstripping what we have available right now,” Soloway said.
He said the average stay is about six months, but there is no set upper limit. Some residents stay longer depending on their recovery.
During a tour of one of the homes, Soloway said the program also focuses on routine and life skills, including making beds, cleaning, laundry, budgeting and preparing meals. Staff also connect residents with outside supports such as counselling, health services, job services, and literacy programs.
Soloway said relapse is handled with the goal of getting people back into treatment and back on their recovery path.
“It’s not a one and done sort of situation,” he said. “We want to try to prevent people from going back into the system.”
Mayor Bill Powalinsky thanked Oxford House and the province for bringing the homes to Prince Albert.
“This is a very glad day,” Powalinsky said. “This isn’t a journey that we undertake on our own.”
Gordon Braun, vice-chair of the Oxford House Saskatchewan board, said the organization has grown slowly since opening its first home in Regina in 2010. He said the goal is to help people find hope again after addiction.
“What Oxford House can do for our members is to rebuild their hope,” Braun said.
arjun.pillai@paherald.sk.ca
