Welcome to Safe Harbour
We'll do our best to connect you with the help you need.
Here is the information on the services we offer, where they are located, and the hours they operate.
Mats Program
This is an overnight shelter for 26 adults who are under the influence of substances. The Mat program provides a supervised environment for its guests who are extremely vulnerable on the streets and in the elements.
Day Support
This program operates daily and serves the most vulnerable in the community who are either too ill or too intoxicated to be outside all day. Not having 24 hour emergency shelter in the community makes this program necessary.
Through the winter we are able to extend the hours to provide this service on the weekends as well as keeping it open longer until the shelters are open for the night.
People’s Place
This overnight emergency shelter is for 35 adults who have no other means available to them. They are living in poverty and are in the process of connecting back to the community. They are ready for an element of stability in their lives and are building their resources to that end. The staff at People’s Place help the guests with goal setting and resource referrals.
From November to March we increase the capacity of this shelter to 46 people to reduce the chances of turning anyone away through the winter months.
Winter Warming Centre
The Warming Center operates from November 1st to April 30th and its purpose is to keep the homeless people from freezing to death outside during the winter months. Simply put it is a place for people to come in to thaw out.
The need for this program is also due to the fact that Red Deer does not yet have 24 hour shelter space.
Support Services
Medically Supported Detox
In this program, we provide medical and case management supports for 20 adults as they withdraw from substances. Detox is typically a 7-21 day stay, depending on what people have been using and how much. While people are with us, their medical needs are monitored and administered to and detox case managers help to set up next steps; treatment, employment, medical care etc.
We also have 5 beds designated for guests that require an extended stay. If guests decide they would like to go to residential treatment the wait list is typically 6-8 weeks so these extra days become vital to their recovery. Medically Supported Detox is located at 5246 53rd Ave and operates 24 hours a day and 365 days a year.
Many Healing Blankets
The connection that ceremony brings to those who ache for it is lifesaving. The beat of the drum can help drown out all the other noise and call people back to that deep belonging. Our Elder team shares the gifts of ceremony with anyone in our programs or anyone in the community.
Activities of this program include:
• Smudging and Prayers
• Individual and Family Support
• Monthly sweats at the sweat lodge at Fort Normandeau (call 403-347-0181 for more info)
• Sharing Circle every Friday at 2:00 pm at Safe Harbour (everyone welcome)
• Wellbriety Group every Monday night at 7pm at Safe Harbour
• Annual Spring Feast at Fort Normandeau
Housing Services
Coordinated Entry Housing Assessment
Coordinated Entry is a single place or process for individuals experiencing homelessness to access housing and support services. The goal of this system-wide program is to meet the needs of the most vulnerable while ensuring all individuals and families who come into contact with the homeless system are assessed and provided with appropriate supports to exit homelessness.
Supported Recovery Housing
This housing program is designed to serve homeless individuals who identify the desire to actively work on their recovery from addiction. It operates using a shared living model in residences owned by Safe Harbour Society. Mentors, who come with their own story of recovery, are key to the success of the program for both our tenants and neighbourhoods they live in. Case Managers work directly on the care of the tenants and case plans are developed and client centered. Tenants are supported in their sobriety and in maintaining their housing. Our houses are located in various neighbourhoods in the City.
Harbour House
Based on a Housing First model this housing program is designed to provide housing and support for eight individuals who are considered to be the most vulnerable in our community and who have the most difficulty accessing and sustaining housing. It is not necessary for them to give up their addiction to maintain this type of housing. Individuals with the greatest need are “screened in” rather than “screened out” due to the complex needs of the tenants, Harbour House operates with a 24-hour staffing model. As always, our emphasis is about reducing the harm to improve health. Harm reduction strategies provide a realistic health approach for this group of people.
Harbour House is situated in a residential neighbourhood. This unique model provides the opportunity not only for the tenant to be “normalized” into a community but also for the community to get to know the tenants. We all rise to the level of our environments and for 9 years we have seen the difference it has made for our clients to live in a neighbourhood. We have seen relationships develop that reinforce to us that this model is one that works well, not just for our clients but for the community as a whole.
This program has reunited families, has renewed a sense of community in tenants that was thought to be long gone and as most our residents are palliative, has provided a loving, caring home to spend their last days in.
