Facility profile Canada

Alberta Adolescent Recovery Centre

Formerly KIDS of the Canadian West (1990 to 1991)

Open Calgary, Canada

Alberta Adolescent Recovery Centre is a drug rehabilitation center in Calgary, Canada, formerly run by KIDS Centers of America. It has operated since 1991.

About Alberta Adolescent Recovery Centre

Stays lasted 217 to 400 days.source It was originally funded by the Rotary Club and the Alberta government.source It was a descendant of Straight, Inc.source It cost over $300 per day ($2,100 per week).source It was described as a drug rehabilitation center.source It was modeled on KIDS of North Jersey.source

Timeline

From the records: who ran it and the deals that moved it, its names, and the deaths, incidents, inspection findings, lawsuits and news stories on file. Point at an event, or tap "More about this", for the details.

199120072009201919912019

  1. 1991

    1. Opened

      Opened in Calgary, Canada

  2. 2007

    1. IncidentFebruary 2007

      Criminal charge

      In February 2007 Andrew Evans, an AARC graduate and former counselor, murdered a 33-year-old woman in Vancouver; he was convicted of second-degree murder and later rehired by AARC.

      Criminal charge February 2007

      source

  3. 2009

    1. Incident

      Lawsuit

      In 2009 AARC opened a legal case against the CBC, several CBC reporters and four ex-patients.

      Lawsuit

      source

    2. IncidentFebruary 2009

      Investigation

      On February 13, 2009 CBC's The Fifth Estate aired an investigative report in which former patients and staff alleged mistreatment at AARC; Vause denied the allegations.

      Investigation February 2009

      source

  4. 2019

    1. IncidentFebruary 2019

      Incident

      In February 2019 a teachers' convention session at which Andrew Evans was to speak for AARC was cancelled after a complaint.

      Incident February 2019

      source

As KIDS of the Canadian West

1990 to 1991 | KIDS Centers of America

Nothing on record is dated to these years yet.

As Alberta Adolescent Recovery Centre

from 1991

Incidents on record

  1. February 2007 Criminal charge

    In February 2007 Andrew Evans, an AARC graduate and former counselor, murdered a 33-year-old woman in Vancouver; he was convicted of second-degree murder and later rehired by AARC.source

  2. 2009 Lawsuit

    In 2009 AARC opened a legal case against the CBC, several CBC reporters and four ex-patients.source

  3. February 2009 Investigation

    On February 13, 2009 CBC's The Fifth Estate aired an investigative report in which former patients and staff alleged mistreatment at AARC; Vause denied the allegations.source

  4. February 2019 Incident

    In February 2019 a teachers' convention session at which Andrew Evans was to speak for AARC was cancelled after a complaint.source

  5. Abuse

    Survivors report psychological abuse, brainwashing, physical and sexual abuse, humiliation, attack therapy and coercive marketing at AARC.source

News coverage

  • Reason Jun 27, 2007 Expose

    Mitt Romney's Campaign Connections to Abusive Adolescent Treatment Programs

    The article examines the connections between presidential candidate Mitt Romney's campaign fundraisers and residential treatment programs facing widespread allegations of abuse. Founders Robert Lichfield of the World Wide Association of Specialty Programs and Schools (WWASPS) and Mel Sembler of Straight Inc. faced numerous lawsuits and investigations regarding allegations of physical restraint, food and sleep deprivation, and psychological abuse.

Staff

Notable staff

  • Andrew Evans

    Quality Assurance Coordinatorsource

  • Donny Serink

    Clinical Manager (2015, r/troubledteens wiki)source

    Elsewhere in the industry

    • University of Calgary Cannabis Cafe Facilitator

  • Janine Nowacka

    Clinical Directorsource

  • Natalie Imbach

    Clinical Directorsource

  • Laura Boyd

    Counselorsource

Videos

The HEAL Report: Episode 9: The Crimes of Alberta Adolescent Recovery Centre (AARC) in Canada Watch on YouTube

Staff

Administration

Rules and practices

Practices

  • Restraint
  • Seclusion or isolation
  • Level system
  • Strip searches
  • Forced medication
  • Behavior contracts
  • Confrontation groups
  • Limits on contact with family

Program philosophy

  • Positive Peer Culture

What people who were there remember

What people who were at Alberta Adolescent Recovery Centre, or had a child there, told us on our questions page. Under each line are their own words.

Levels and phases

  • The program had four levels. 4 levels. A former resident, answering on Kids Over Profits' questions page, October 2026

Rules

  • Residents were subjected to round-the-clock peer supervision and were required to inform on each other. 24/7 peer supervision where we had to snitch on each other. A former resident, answering on Kids Over Profits' questions page, October 2026
  • Romantic relationships were controlled by the program. They controlled romantic relationships. A former resident, answering on Kids Over Profits' questions page, October 2026

Contact with family

  • Residents were separated from their families for four months. Separated from family for 4 months. A former resident, answering on Kids Over Profits' questions page, October 2026

Therapy and seminars

  • A resident was forced to break down sobbing in front of a room of fifty or more people, some of whom were strangers. Was forced to break down sobbing in front of a room of 50+ people some were strangers. A former resident, answering on Kids Over Profits' questions page, October 2026
  • Residents were publicly insulted. Was publicly insulted, A former resident, answering on Kids Over Profits' questions page, October 2026

Connections on the network map

The companies, people and programs our research map ties to this program. Open it on the network map.

Documents

Documents on file (1)

From the Unsilenced archive

5 documents about Alberta Adolescent Recovery Centre that Unsilenced collected and Kids Over Profits does not hold a copy of. They open on Unsilenced's Google Drive. Their whole folder: Alberta Adolescent Recovery Centre.

Wiki entries

Materials and links

Survivor posts and discussion

Reference and research

2 of these from SCIAD NET.

Archived pages

Other links

Record updated . Generated from the Kids Over Profits facility database. Suggest a correction