The Dave Smith Centre provides intensive addiction treatment services by way of a medium term, gender-segregated residential treatment environment for youth aged 13 to 21. Treatment services are currently provided from 2 separate campuses. DSYTC is a non-profit, residential community-based agency that provides youth with a comprehensive assessment of their needs, 3-month residential treatment and 3-month post-residential continuing care. Clients are able to access academic programming, by way of M.F. McHugh Education Centre, individual and group counselling, as well as therapeutic support for themselves and their families. Professional referral is not required for the DSYTC. Students and their families can self-refer and the youth must be interested in attending and engaging in treatment.
The DSYTC Carleton Place campus is a 14-bed facility for males. There is a McHugh teacher at this campus with academic class time from 9 – 12:30 each day. The teacher is supported by clinical staff in the classroom at both sites. The teacher offers students a broad range of courses at all academic levels in multiple disciplines. Students can also be supported to maintain progress in courses from their community schools, and are eligible to earn credits that are co-facilitated with the treatment centre, such as Food and Nutrition, Learning Strategies and Health for Life.
A McHugh Itinerant Technology Teacher spends time at this site as well and teaches woodworking, small engine repair, communications technology and photography. Students earn high school technology credits designing and building woodworking projects. Past students have built planters, Japanese tool boxes, and other items that benefit the site and the community. Students have learned roofing skills by constructing a roof for the neighbour’s golf course. They have also built a hockey rink that they enjoyed last winter. The itinerant teacher has also facilitated a music credit for a student who wanted to improve their guitar playing.
Referrals to this program are made through self-referral, where a student can contact the Centre directly.
External Links:
Dave Smith Youth Treatment Centre
