Substance Use Resources

Leadership in Learning and Life

Prairie Valley School Division believes the psychosocial and emotional health of our students is a key element of academic success. We are aware that within our division, we have a number of students struggling with addictions who are unable to access the supports they require.

Therefore, a temporary Mental Health and Addictions Liaison position has been created and will be filled by Registered Psychologist, Sacha Lingenfelter.

Sacha has been with the PVSD psychology team since 2009 and has worked in several of our schools and communities over the years. While her focus has primarily been on cognitive, achievement, and behavioural assessments, her background in addictions and her ongoing counselling work fit well with this position. In this role, Sacha will provide short-term addictions counselling, assessments, and referrals to community-based supports. Sacha will also be creating a Roadmap to Mental Health and Addictions Services for our division, outlining what addictions services are available from other partners that provide services to our school division, investigating/coordinating additional therapy services for our school division with outside agencies and developing resources for students.

PVSD psychologist, school-based social workers, school administrators and student service teachers can refer students to Sacha by completing the pre-referral process and emailing her at sacha.lingenfelter@pvsd.ca

Resources for parents include:

• Drug Free Kids Canada Parenting Resources Find resources that spotlight different substances, provide tips on talking with your kids about substances, and give information about intervention and treatment options.

• National Institute on Drug Abuse – Family Checkup This resource guides parents in proactively preventing substance use issues.

• Health Canada This page has resources and information for people who need help with substance use, including overdose prevention resources.

• Saskatchewan Alcohol and Drug Supports provides links to resources and information available in Saskatchewan.

• Families for Addiction Recovery is a national charity founded by parents of children who have struggled with addiction from their teens. Their goal is long-term recovery for those with addiction and their families.

• Partnership for Drug-Free Kids This website works to reduce substance abuse among adolescents by supporting families and engaging with teens.

Supports for alcohol and drug use include:

Counselling: Recognize and change the thoughts and feelings that make you more likely to use alcohol. A counsellor can also teach you how to deal with cravings and reduce or eliminate substance abuse. Explore your feelings about reducing/eliminating substance use and getting treatment. A counsellor helps you identify your motivations to change. Counsellors help set goals on reducing/eliminating substance use. Support you to keep your substance use at lowrisk levels or not use substances again.

Counselling options in Regina and area (virtual sessions can be accessed from all PVSD communities):

• Aroha Pride Counselling and Consulting

• 306-801-2027 (virtual available)

• Bloom Counselling and Wellness

• 306-570-7189 (virtual available)

• Brownstone Health

• 306-779-1275

• Lisa Davidson and Kirsten Dennigee

• Child & Youth Addiction Services

• 306-766-6700 (no fee for service)

• Ehrlo Counselling Services

• 306-751-2467 (virtual available)

• Family Services Regina

• 306-767-6675 (virtual available)

• Good Therapy with Lola Miller

• 306-527-3238 (virtual available)

• Lebell & Associates

• 306-359-6111

• Beve Gardiner (virtual available)

• MT Recovery and Family Therapy

• 306-570-9038

• Lauren MacDonald (virtual available)

• Open Skies Therapy

• 306-209-8099

• Dane Fleischhacker (virtual available)

• Sojonky Counselling Services

• 306-737-6533 (virtual available)

• Soul Haven Counselling

• 306-533-8071 (virtual available)

• Susan Ulmer Addiction Services

• 306-522-5544 (virtual available)

Counselling options in the Milestone area:

• Weyburn Mental Health Addictions Support

• 306-842-8696

• Family Services Saskatchewan (virtual available)

Counselling options in the Kipling area:

• Kipling Mental Health

• 306-736-2638 or 306-842-8693

• Family Services Saskatchewan (virtual available)

Counselling options in the Fort Qu’Appelle area:

• Child & Youth Addiction Services

• 1-888-989-8444

• Family Service Saskatchewan (virtual available)

• White Raven Healing Centre

• 306-332-2608

• Clearview Equine & Art Assisted Therapy

• 306-332-7494

Counselling options in the Kelliher, Grenfell and Whitewood areas:

• Child & Youth Addiction Services

• 1-888-989-8444

• Family Services Saskatchewan (virtual available)

• Wallis Psychology (Yorkton)

• 306-620-6288 (virtual available)

• SIGN Yorkton

• 306-783-9409 (virtual available)

Counselling options available on/for First Nations:

• Carry the Kettle Health Clinic

• 306-727-2101

• Cowessess Health Centre

• 306-696-2263

• Chief Red Bear Children’s Lodge

• 639-399-0640

• Kahkewistahaw Health Centre

• 306-696-2660

• Rodney Brass, Addiction Counsellor

• 306-620-7696

• Roger Stevenson, Addiction Counsellor

• 306-818-0126

• Little Black Bear NADAAP/Addiction

• Leah Swanson

• 306-334-2269

• Muscowpetung Health Centre

• 306-723-4506

• Muskowekwan First Nation NADAAP Program Coordinator

• Leo Wolfe Sr.

• 306-216-9581

• Pasqua First Nation Mental Health

• Edmond Jordan and Belinda Krienke

• 306-331-9299

• Pasqua Fist Nation NADAAP/Addiction

• Delmar Chicoose

• 306-552-5808

• Peepeekisis First Nation Mental Health

• Corrine McArthur

• 306-621-1287

• Peepeekisis First Nation NADAAP/Addiction

• Desmond Desnomie

• 306-331-7019

• Piapot First Nation NADAAP/Addiction

• Luanne Nahnepowisk

• 306-737-9271

• Standing Buffalo Health Centre

• Starblanket First Nation

• Ethel Starblanket-Dubois

• 639-571-1856

• Zagime First Nation Mental Health

• Juan Jimanez – Therapist

• 306-451-7100

• Danny Panipekeesick – Youth Worker

• 306-697-2970

• Non-Insured Health Benefits Service Providers

Detoxification Facilities are a safe space for youth to medically detoxify from drug use while receiving education regarding substance use, relapse, and harm reduction.

• Calder Centre Youth Stabilization Unit in Saskatoon is for youth who are engaged and willing to seek help.

• Secure Youth Detox Centre in Regina is for youth who are unwilling to engage in supports, have a severe addiction issue and are at significant risk of harm to self or others. The Youth Drug Detoxification and Stabilization Act will need to be enacted by parents/guardians.

Inpatient Care to help reduce/eliminate substance use. These programs provide education and individual, family and group counselling. They may also provide medical care to help reduce your cravings for substances and manage withdrawal symptoms. Lengths of programs vary.

Youth Inpatient treatment options in Saskatchewan:

• Calder Centre

• White Buffalo Treatment Centre

• Leading Thunderbird Lodge

• Rock Solid Refuge

• Valley Hill Youth Treatment Centre

• Cree Nations Treatment Haven (17+)

Questions to ask:

• Ask if the counsellors are certified addiction counsellors. Counsellors who are certified have special training in counselling people who have substance use problems.

• Ask if any medical doctors are associated with the program. If so, are they certified by the Canadian Society of Addiction Medication (CSAM)? Doctors who are certified have special training in dealing with people who have substance use problems.

• Ask which treatment therapies are used in the program. Is it a peer support program (12-step program, SMART Recovery, LifeRing), alone or does the program contain cognitive therapy and/or medicine therapy?

• Ask about the time commitment required. How much time do you spend in the program a day and how many weeks or months does the program last?

• Ask if the program has aftercare.

• Ask about the success rate of people going through the program. How has success been evaluated (number completing the program, years not drinking)?

• Ask if the treatment program address any special concerns that a person from a particular culture or religious background (such as LGBTQ2S+), Indigenous peoples or Catholics) might have?

• Ask if the program evaluates and supports people who have other conditions such as depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or long-term pain disorders.

• Ask if/how family members are involved in the program.

Medicines to help reduce your cravings for substances and manage withdrawal symptoms.

Support Groups: regularly attending support group meetings and connecting with someone who can help you deal with cravings is an integral part of success.

• Alcohol Anonymous: The AA website can help young people find AA meetings near them and has brochures directed at young people.

• Narcotics Anonymous: The NA website can help young people find NA meetings near them and has resources including brochures for young addicts.

• SMART Recovery: is a leading self-empowering addiction recovery support group. The website provides resources for teens and youth support programs, meeting locations and an online community.

Youth Friendly Substance Use Online Resources:

• Kelty Mental Health Resource Centre: Resources are available on this website for youth and teens about substance use, including in-depth information on various substances and concurrent disorders, as well as steps to seek help.

• Families for Addiction Recovery: is a national charity founded by parents of children who have struggled with addiction from their teens. Their goal is long-term recovery for those with addiction and their families.

• Partnership for Drug-Free Kids: this website works to reduce substance abuse among adolescents by supporting families and engaging with teens.

• Truth Campaign: this campaign provides information and uses videos and social media to engage youth in taking action tobacco and tobacco companies.

• Your Room: this website provides information about alcohol and a wide range of drugs, their effects, withdrawal and how to get help for yourself or anyone else who needs it.

• Cannabis and Mental Health: this website offers a 90-minute virtual session for youth outlining the impact of cannabis on mental health.

Apps to Support Addiction Recovery: (please be aware of privacy limitations when using apps)

• AA Speakers to Go: access more than 400 audio recordings of Alcoholics Anonymous speakers. There are also in-app purchases for access to specialty workshops and presentations.

• Price: Free

• Platform: iOS and Android

• I Am Sober: tracks recovery using a sobriety counter to log milestones, tracks how much money the user has saved on drugs or alcohol in their sobriety and offers motivational quotes for support.

• Price: Free

• Platform: iOS and Android

• NA Speakers: a data of audio recordings of Narcotics Anonymous speakers from various conventions.

• Price: Free

• Platform: iOS and Android

• Nobu: offers lessons and mindfulness tools developed by physicians and mental health professionals and provides comprehensive support for maintaining sobriety.

• Price: Free

• Platform: iOS and Android

• Recovery Box: is a comprehensive toolkit following the 12-step method. The app includes tools from the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous, with features like a recovery calculator, recovery stories, AA readings, in-app sponsorship, notes, inventories, and chat messaging.

• Price: Free

• Platform: iOS

• Sober Grid: is a social networking app that allows people to connect with sober individuals in their local community and worldwide.

• Price: Free

• Platform: iOS and Android