Alberta gov’t, Blood Tribe celebrate new Indigenous-led addiction recovery community

An Indigenous-led addiction recovery community has opened its doors on a First Nation in southern Alberta.

Alberta’s UCP government and the Blood Tribe celebrated the occasion Friday.

The newly-built Blood Tribe Iitakamotsiipiohsopi Recovery Community offers 75 beds at no cost.

The Blood Tribe’s Department of Health will operate the community.

Marcel Weasel Head, Blood Tribe councillor and Department of Health board chair, called the opening “the realization of a dream.”

“Iitakamotsiipiohsopi means ‘a place to recover,’ and we honour those who advocated tirelessly for safe, stable aftercare support on the Blood Reserve,” he said in a release issued Friday.

“It has been our privilege to carry that vision forward, and we are elated to see it become a reality.”

Kash Shade, Department of Health CEO, called it “a landmark moment.”

“Today marks the start of offering a full continuum of care for Blood Tribe members without them ever having to leave our community,” he said in Friday’s release.

“We are proud of the legacy we are creating in providing high-quality and culturally grounded care available to Blood Tribe members and Albertans.”

It’s the first of five such communities planned for the province.

The other four are planned for Siksika Nation, Enoch Cree Nation, Tsuut’ina Nation and the Métis Nation of Alberta.

The province earmarked $29.6 million in its latest budget for this.

The province says the communities together will yield 375 beds.

Premier Danielle Smith, in Friday’s release, called this community “a place where people can heal, rebuild their lives and reconnect with their community.”

Cardston-Siksika MLA Joseph Schow, in Friday’s release, said it signifies “partnership and collaboration in solving a problem that takes a devastating toll on families and communities.”

Clients are set to begin treatment in April and will have access to a year of treatment.