INTENT

To provide funds for room and board costs to ensure applicants, recipients or members of the household unit, including Registered First Nations people living off reserve can access residential addictions treatment for substance abuse and/or problem gambling.

POLICY

Residential treatment is provided by:

• An Alberta Health Services (AHS) operated or funded facility, or
• A facility that has been approved by the Minister

Refer to the eligible facilities Fact Sheet for a list of approved residential addictions treatment facilities.

Core Essential is reduced (by the amount of the food portion) for the benefit period when a household member is attending a residential addictions treatment program. However, no overpayment is assessed for the month the program starts when the Core Essential was issued prior to the workers knowledge of the program start date.

Funds to cover the non-emergency travel costs to access residential addictions treatment may also be provided to the client.

Registered First Nation People living on-reserve, non-Indians living on reserve and persons ordinarily living on a reserve are not eligible for Residential Addictions Treatment as they are the responsibility of the federal government.

Funds are not available for the following services:

• Pre and post addictions treatment, detoxification and shelter, day treatment, non-residential assessment/referral, and individual, family or group counseling, or
• Residents on-reserve to attend on-reserve treatment centers including:

   

  • Beaver Lake Wah Pow Detox and Treatment Centre, Lac La Biche
  • Kapown Treatment Centre, Grouard
  • Mark Amy Centre for Healing Addiction, Fort McMurray
  • St. Paul’s Treatment Centre, Cardston
  • Footprints, Alexander First Nation

Substantiation
A letter addressed to the client from the residential treatment facility or a fax directly to the worker upon client’s request stating the type of treatment, commencement date and projected length of stay.

The worker verifies that:

• The residential treatment facility is operated or funded by AHS, or
• The residential treatment facility has received the approval of the Minister, and
• The type of treatment is eligible under IS policy.

Refer to the eligible facilities Fact Sheet for a list of approved residential addictions treatment facilities.

Rate

• Up to a maximum of $40 per day

Need Code
1830  Residential Addictions Treatment

PROCEDURE

The worker:

1. Provides verbal approval to the residential addictions treatment facility.
2. Issues the appropriate core shelter and core essential benefits.
3. Once the facility sends in the invoice,
   1. confirms that the name on the invoice matches the client’s name, the facility is funded/operated by AHS or approved by the Minister, and the charges meet policy requirements;
   2. verifies the number of days the client was in the residential addictions treatment and
   3. issues an EMP 0018 Purchase Authorization and Invoice or a third party cheque payable to the appropriate facility.