A program credited with saving the lives of youth battling substance abuse was celebrated Sunday in New Brunswick, as Portage Atlantic marked its 20th anniversary with a ceremony involving both current and former residents of the program.
Danielle McArthur credits the program with saving her life, after first coming to Portage in February of 2015.
“At the end of my addiction I was living in a homeless shelter and I was just really depressed and anxious’ and I was struggling with self-harming and I was struggling with an eating disorder,” McArthur said.
She was one of 26 people to be recognized for either completing the program or for having maintained a positive lifestyle since graduating.
It would take Danielle two stays at Portage before she made it through. Admitting it was tough, she says staff and other residents deserve a lot of the credit.
“It saved my life,” she said.
“It’s like a therapeutic community and we act like a family and we hold each other accountable and we love and care for one another.”
Moncton resident Jeremie Vautour, 28, echoes the importance of peer mentorship. Vautour was at Portage as an 18-year-old in 2006 before returning in 2012.
“If you see other peers doing good you want to follow them,” Vautour said. “You want to do some good things as well so it’s really addicts helping other addicts.”
Officials say residents often arrive angry and sad but proper nutrition, sleep and a chance to talk make a difference in a short period of time.
“In a month you’re going to start to see the sparkle in their eyes and they’re going to start to smile and laugh and I believe that’s the beauty of this centre,” said Portage Atlantic program manager Luc Dejardins.
The Portage Atlantic program has seen 2,000 people cross it’s threshold. The program is accredited by Accreditation Canada.
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