SPACE FOR HOPE

Building Alberta’s first live-in
recovery centre for eating disorders

#SPACEFORHOPE

CREATING SPACE FOR HOPE CLOSE TO HOME

Did you know that eating disorders (EDs) are clinically classified as a mental illness and impact all populations regardless of age, sex, race or economic status? Unfortunately the stigma and misinformation surrounding EDs has led to a lack of adequate support, especially in Alberta.

Provincial programs have long been struggling to meet the needs of individuals with eating disorders and the pandemic has significantly exacerbated the problem. In Alberta there are 198 000 people struggling with an ED at any given time. The province’s existing community supports are integral to ED recovery, but they only address a part of this complex problem. There is a major gap in the ED continuum of care: Alberta is one of the few provinces without a live-in treatment centre for ED recovery.

It has been the long term vision of Silver Linings Foundation (SLF) to develop a live-in ED recovery centre that would serve our province. We have spent years advocating for better care in for EDs in the province, as well as operating a community-based resource centre that offers accessible and affordable supports. For the past several years we have worked diligently to establish government and community partnerships that would be essential to the development of a recovery centre. In the Spring of 2023, we received a major financial commitment from the Government of Alberta that would cover the cost of operations for several years. The last step to making this vision a reality is the securing a space for the centre. We are launching the Space for Hope campaign to fundraise for the purchase a property that will become Alberta’s very first live-in recovery centre.

We need your help to turn this vision into a reality.

THE NEED

RECOVERY RIGHT NOW

Eating disorder recovery can be a long road even with the proper resources, but without them it can seem like an impossibility. Alberta’s continuum of care for has a significant gap that has created a major obstacle to recovery for people struggling with EDs. Developing a live-in treatment facility in our province could create long term positive outcomes for people recovering from this illness. Learn more below about why this missing piece could make a life-changing impact in our community.

ALBERTA’S CONTINUUM OF CARE

MEDICAL STABILITY ≠ RECOVERED

Eating disorders are considered one of the top 5 most common mental illnesses and are associated with the highest hospitalization costs and rates. Hospitalization is absolutely necessary for extreme cases of ED, but it’s an incomplete solution for treatment. Medical intervention is only accessible for individuals with life-threatening presentations of EDs, leaving many in the category of “not sick enough”, but who remain incredibly unwell. Even for those admitted to hospital, it’s only until medical stability is achieved and patients often receive little to no support for long-term recovery. Hospital discharge is often the point where families feel ill-equipped to support their loved one, who still requires substantial care. Studies show that 50% of individuals who need to be hospitalized for ED’s will later be re-hospitalized. Without intervention focused on long-term recovery, people can spend years in a cycle of life-threatening health crisis and if left untreated, EDs can be lethal.

NOT SICK ENOUGH

What about the majority of people who struggle with ED but don’t present with life threatening symptoms? The narrow requirements for hospitalization preclude the majority of people struggling with an eating disorder. There is a huge chasm between being healthy and being hospitalized but regardless of medical severity, EDs are a mental illness that always diminish quality of life. Currently there is no clear path to recovery for people who are too sick to manage recovery on their own but not sick enough for hospitalization.

Studies show that 65% of people struggling with ED will be able to recover with the help of private therapy or community based supports, and 30% will require an intervention like live-in treatment in order to return to society and eventually manage their recovery independently. Even the 5% that require hospitalization will likely require live-in treatment at some point. Although recovery from EDs is absolutely possible, lack of appropriate resources can make make recovery seem impossible.

A PARENT’S PERSPECTIVE

“ We desperately need a residential treatment centre for Eating Disorders in Alberta. Our family has been dealing with an eating disorder for several years.  Our daughter has been hospitalized 4 times and upon discharge, was transitioned to day program on only one occasion. The other 3 times, she was not a candidate and there was no place in the community for her to go to continue receiving the help that she required.  We have been forced to take her out of country for treatment that included a tiered approach from medical rehabilitation to the intense therapy and structured program she was able to respond to until she was well enough to return back to our community. I feel with Calgary being a leader in so many areas and having the resources that it does, that it is a disgrace that we cannot provide for our mentally ill population.”

CARLY’S STORY

“ When I was diagnosed my parents were terrified and felt hopeless. They researched the best facilities, they researched the best counsellors, they just wanted the best for their daughter. My parents researched treatment centres across North America and we found a place in Arizona that had a 60 day treatment program. 10 years ago when I was going through this, I needed a residential treatment program. I had been in and out of hospital so many times but nothing I had done was long term. I needed care 24/7.”

COMMUNITY IMPACT

Eating disorders are often invisible but the impacts on individuals, families and the community at large are very real. It’s never simplyone person struggling. There are always greater consequences.

THE BENEFIT OF LIVE-IN TREATMENT

Live-in treatment could mitigate many of the negative impacts and create significant benefits for those struggling.  

  • Accessible + affordable live-in treatment close to home

  • Families will be able to easily visit

  • Loved ones can be part of treatment process

  • Decrease in lost wages for sufferer or caregiver during illness

  • Fewer eating disorder related deaths

LONG TERM RECOVERY IS POSSIBLE

WITH THE RIGHT SUPPORT

YOUR CONTRIBUTION MATTERS

CAMPAIGN STATUS

GOAL: $4M

Thanks to support from the provincial government, we will be able to fully fund the operational costs of the centre. The final step to making this project a realty is the purchase of a property that will become the new home for the centre. The Space for Hope campaign aims to raise $4M to cover the purchase and renovations of an existing property in the city. We hope you’ll help us reach our goal.

PROJECT OVERVIEW

Alberta’s first live-in recovery centre is a collaboration between Silver Linings Foundation, the Government of Alberta, Alberta Health Services and Edgewood Health Network. It is specifically designed to support young people aged 13-24 who don’t meet the criteria required for hospitalisation or have been discharged from hospital but still need significant support. The facility will provide 24/7 care in a home-like setting, with 12 spots that will help fill the gap between hospital and out-patient programs. The program will be accessible, affordable, and allow families to visit and be a part of the treatment process. 

CAMPAIGN UPDATES

  • Silver Linings Foundation joins The Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation, Calgary Health Foundation and Alberta Health Services (AHS), to form a partnership focused on a the development of a a robust continuum of care for eating disorders. This group will be working together to expand specialized services through  new purpose-built facilities.

  • The quiet phase of the campaign has started and Silver Linings Foundation has begun conversations with donors and sponsors who have existing relationships with the foundation.

  • The Government of Alberta has officially announced support for a live-in treatment centre for eating disorders in Alberta. They will be investing $5.3 million over three years to expand eating disorder treatment for youth and young adults in Calgary.

    Read the press release here.

  • We are pleased to report that the Silver Linings Foundation has established partnerships with the Government of Alberta, Alberta Health Services and Edgewood Health Network on this project. We have secured a 3 year lease with AHS for Edgewood to operate the programming. Our goal is to repurpose this existing residential property into Alberta’s first live-in recovery centre.

Click to expand updates

PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITY

We are currently seeking visionary philanthropic partners to support the Space for Hope campaign. To learn more about how you or your organization can take part in high-impact giving, please contact:

Cendrine Tremblay, Board Chair

cendrine@silverliningsfoundation.ca

This project is on part of a part of a multi-pronged initiative to develop a more comprehensive continuum of care.
We are proudly working with other motivated organizations to realize this goal.

OUR FOUNDATION

EATING DISORDER RECOVERY SUPPORT SINCE 2014

The Silver Linings Hub is located in an historical building in Calgary’s Beltline. Our centrally located space welcomes anyone seeking support for eating disorder recovery. The Hub is a community led resource centre where youth, families and loved ones can access programs that include eating disorder therapists referrals, support groups, and connection with a peer support worker.

WE KNOW RECOVERY IS POSSIBLE

We believe that everyone should have access to the tools and support required for eating disorder recovery regardless of their age, gender, background or financial circumstance. We keep all of our groups low-barrier so people can get help when they need it. We know recovery is possible because we see it all the time.

Learn more about our organization and how we currently support community