Who We Can Help

CHOICES provides a variety of treatment services for adolescents aged 13 up to 19 years old who are harmfully involved with substances, gambling and/or who have a concurrent disorder, which means a substance use problem and a mental health disorder at the same time. CHOICES provides a wide range of voluntary services from Health Promotion & Prevention, Community Outreach, Outclient Clinical Services, a Day Program and a Provincial 24/7 Inpatient Treatment Service. CHOICES utilizes a harm reduction approach where you can partner with your clinician around your treatment goals to reduce the harms associated with substance misuse.

What Happens in the Service

When you come to the CHOICES Outclient Service, you will be contacted by the Intake Worker who will complete a registration with you over the phone. You will be offered a Choice appointment, which means a first appointment time with a CHOICES clinician. The CHOICES clinician will work with you to identify your goals for treatment and assist in developing an agreed upon plan that you think will help. 

After the first Choice appointment, you will be matched up to a partnership clinician who will work with you to action the plan. This may involve individual therapy, family therapy, group therapy, parent support, evening school and or consultative services from recreation therapy, occupational therapy, psychiatry, psychology and social work.

Read the program overview to learn more about CHOICES.  

For More Information

Clients who live within the HRM can contact the IWK's Central Referral Service at 902.464.4110 or call toll free 1.855.922.1122. Individuals living outside of this region would contact their nearest Addictions Services office.