What's new at Portage BC?
Read about what's going on at the Portage BC substance abuse rehabilitation centre in Keremeos, BC.
Following an outing in Penticton, Portage Keremeos (/bc/rehabilitation-treatment-program-adolescents-british-columbia) residents were taken to a thrift store to shop for used sports equipment and hiking boots. The Portage staff member who accompanied them explained that they were on a limited budget and the importance of trying to stretch a few dollars. The residents, many of whom had never shoppe... [>>]
Addiction and mental health are becoming increasingly interrelated, as many people who suffer from addiction may also have mental health issues. Portage’s Mentally Ill Chemical Abusers (/qc/mentally-ill-chemical-abusers-quebec) (MICA) centre, situated in Montréal, has been treating the concurrent disorder of addiction and mental illness for over fifteen years, and has helped over ... [>>]
Portage would like to thank Rocky Mountain Fitness and Mr. Brock Ainsley, for their recent donation. The gym at Portage Keremeos (/bc/rehabilitation-treatment-program-adolescents-british-columbia) now features a new elliptical trainer and treadmill, as well as a variety of other new training equipment. We are very grateful to Mr. Les Gordichuck for his commitment to the physical health of the yout... [>>]
Physical activity is an integral part of rehabilitation programming at Portage. Residents play a variety of team sports, train in the gym, and go on regular hikes in the beautiful surrounding areas. However, as spring approaches, Portage Keremeos (/bc/rehabilitation-treatment-program-adolescents-british-columbia) residents step it up a notch in preparation for the Portage Freedom Run, a five kilom... [>>]
A representative from the South Okanagan Rehabilitation Centre for Owls (SORCO) recently visited the Portage Keremeos (/bc/rehabilitation-treatment-program-adolescents-british-columbia) centre with an injured Great Horned Owl. He explained the analogies between the birds’ rehabilitation and the Portage residents’ recovery, stating that the birds that reject treatment at SORCO often... [>>]
Portage is currently in the process of establishing a new ECO-Portage team, whose mission will be to come up with strategies to help Portage’s rehabilitation centres become more environmentally-friendly. From recycling to waste reduction and water conservation, this committee - composed of staff members and members of the Residents’ Committee - will help Portage establish an organisati... [>>]
On March 16, Portage Keremeos (/bc/rehabilitation-treatment-program-adolescents-british-columbia) residents hung on the every word of a 25 year-old Afghanistan veteran, who spoke to them about the work that he and his team did to build schools and clinics while on their tour of duty in Afghanistan. He told them about what it is like to have a career in the military and then gave the whole group a ... [>>]
Two personal development courses were provided to Portage Keremeos (/bc/rehabilitation-treatment-program-adolescents-british-columbia) residents during their two-week Spring Break from Portage Academy in March. The first, a Junior Achievement Program, taught residents about budgeting, finances, and career planning. The second gave them an introductory course on fire safety in the forest.
The ... [>>]
One of keys to maintaining sobriety throughout the social reintegration phase and beyond is to establish a plan while in residential therapy to go back to school or to work. Socio-cultural and recreational programming at Portage Keremeos (/bc/rehabilitation-treatment-program-adolescents-british-columbia) ensures that residents make the most of their time in therapy to think about what kind of work... [>>]
February is Anti-Bullying Month, but bullying is a problem that affects countless people year-round. Many Portage residents seeking rehabilitation treatment have either been a victim of bullying or have been a bully themselves, events that have, in some instances, ignited or fuelled their drug addiction problems. For this reason, Portage centres provide programming that deals with the issue of... [>>]
February 14, 2012 marked the 39th anniversary since the first Portage centre in Prévost (/qc/rehabilitation-centre-prevost-lac-echo-quebec)opened its doors to its first group of drug addicts who were looking to get back in control of their lives. Every year on Metamorphosis Day, Portage centres across the country celebrate the tens of thousands of lives that Portage has touched.
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The Portage family is quite unique, and many people who work at its rehabilitation centres (/staff-rehabilitation-therapy) stay with Portage for many years. As a result of this, when leadership roles open up, candidates are often chosen from within the Portage family.
A recent training session identified a handful of staff members who show great initiative to be trained to potential... [>>]
Montréal, February 14, 2012 – It was on February 14, 1973, that the very first Portage substance abuse rehabilitation centre opened its doors to ten substance abusers, on a thirty-five acre property in the Laurentian Mountains, located 45 minutes from Montréal. Today, thirty-nine years later, the lac Écho campus in Prévost (/qc/rehabilitation-centre-prevost-lac-ec... [>>]
Portage’s program for Mentally Ill Chemical Abusers (/qc/mentally-ill-chemical-abusers-quebec) (MICA), a residential drug rehabilitation program for adults suffering from both mental illness and substance abuse, will be one of the beneficiaries of Bell’s annual Let’s Talk Day on February 8, 2012. The Let’s Talk campaign invites all Canadians to talk about mental illness in ... [>>]
The teachers at Portage Academy arranged for a FOODSAFE training course to be given to all Portage Keremeos (/bc/rehabilitation-treatment-program-adolescents-british-columbia) residents this past fall. British Columbia FOODSAFE certification, a comprehensive food safety training program, is required for all those who work in the food service industry in BC, and is recognised across Canada. Now equ... [>>]
Portage BC’s Director of Corporate Development appointed to Vancouver’s Downtown Community Court Advisory Council
Jae Kim, Director of Corporate Development of Portage BC, has been appointed by the judges of Vancouver’s Downtown Community Court (DCC) to serve on its Advisory Council.
Vancouver’s Downtown Community Court is a first of its kind in Canada, using a p... [>>]
To highlight National Non-Smoking Week, which is taking place from January 15-21, 2011, the Portage Keremeos substance abuse rehabilitation centre for youth (/bc/rehabilitation-treatment-program-adolescents-british-columbia)is focusing on its Tobacco Reduction Strategy, put in place in September 2010, by Gail Bastow of BC Quit Now.
The goal of the Tobacco Reduction Strategy is to de... [>>]
Portage Keremeos (/bc/rehabilitation-treatment-program-adolescents-british-columbia) residents attended a Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) presentation at Keremeos High School in November, where they watched a graphic movie of testimonials by people whose lives have been affected by drunk driving. Most of the Portage youth present have been affected by drunk driving in one way or another durin... [>>]
The Similkameen Garden Club visited Portage Keremeos (/bc/rehabilitation-treatment-program-adolescents-british-columbia) this fall to help residents harvest the garden that they had planted together in the spring. Using the tomatoes, peppers, and onions they harvested, the Garden Club taught the residents how to make salsa. They also set up a canning station and taught them how to can and preserve... [>>]
For the second consecutive year, Portage Keremeos’ Tobacco Reduction Coordinator, Gail Bastow, has launched the Learn to Run Program for residents and staff members alike, in preparation for the five kilometer Portage Freedom Run that will take place at the Keremeos rehabilitation centre (/bc/rehabilitation-treatment-program-adolescents-british-columbia) this spring.
Ms. Basto... [>>]
During the month of October, Portage Keremeos (/bc/rehabilitation-treatment-program-adolescents-british-columbia) residents had the chance to visit the historic Hedley Mascot Mine, a gold mine dating back to the 1920’s, which is perched on the side of a mountain. They enjoyed an informative tour of the facility during which they were able to explore the old mine shafts in the mountain an... [>>]
This past fall, Portage Keremeos (/bc/rehabilitation-treatment-program-adolescents-british-columbia) received a letter of appreciation from Iron Horse Youth Safe House, a homeless shelter for youth aged thirteen to eighteen. Some youth at Iron Horse transition to Portage for drug rehabilitation treatment. Below is an excerpt of the letter:
“Fortunately, there are those people,... [>>]
