ARCHES' Indigenous Recovery Coach team. (Supplied by ARCHES Lethbridge)

By David Opinko

Lethbridge’s Indigenous recovery coaches seeing results for those seeking help

Sep 26, 2019 | 1:26 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – According to Indigenous Recovery Coach (IRC) Jerry Firth, their program in Lethbridge might be the only one of its kind in the world.

While recovery coaches are becoming more popular in places like the United States, he says that none offer programs and services specific to Indigenous cultures.

Generally, the program offers recovery plans based on specific needs, connecting with Indigenous Elders, helping those in recovery become more stable in their life and career, and providing emotional and motivational support.

Joey Blood, another one of ARCHES’ five IRC’s, tells Lethbridge News Now that every single case is unique but claims that, in the majority of cases where Indigenous peoples come to them seeking help for addictions, they do find a level of success.

“You see the impacts that it has on them, and one way I could think of is just being able to talk to them and just having a meaningful conversation with them – maybe something they haven’t had in a while, you know, and just trying to help them get connected back to the community.”

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Blood grew up on the Blood Reserve and says many of the people he personally works with are ones that he grew up with.

“It’s an unfortunate thing that my job has to exist, but it’s a necessary position in trying to help get out people back in a position where they’re comfortable with their wellbeing, but it is a hard pill to swallow at times, just seeing many of the people I grew up with who were, at one time, my mentors, [needing to access recovery services].”

He believes that Indigenous peoples have a higher rate of substance addictions than the general population, which he credits, at least in part, to the discrimination and mistreatment many have received throughout their lifetime.

In the first year or so of the program’s life, the focus was on continually evolving it to ensure it met the needs of those accessing it.

This year, Firth wants to spend more time making sure people are aware of their service so that Indigenous peoples struggling with addiction will know where to go for help.

There are a variety of methods in which people can get involved. Primarily, people are either referred by another care clinic, or can attend the Supervised Consumption Site to sign up in person.

While they cannot force or coerce anyone attending the SCS into a recovery program, Firth believes that quite a few people there are actively seeking help.

More details on the Indigenous Recovery Coach Program can be found through this link.