Profile: Blaire Russell

For anyone struggling with addiction, a new recovery community on Blood Tribe land may offer a treatment option closer to home and closer to culture.

The Blood Tribe Iitakamotsiipiohsopi Recovery Community began accepting clients April 20, offering no-cost treatment that combines clinical support with Indigenous traditions, ceremony and community-based healing.

The 75-bed facility is the first of five Indigenous-led recovery communities funded by the province to open this year.

The program creates what the Blood Tribe department of health describes as a circle of care grounded in respect, dignity and connection. This includes Blackfoot teachings and land-based healing along with evidence-based treatment.

“The facility offers a full continuum of care, including prevention, intervention, treatment and recovery,” says Blaire Russell, communications specialist with the department.

The facility is open to both Indigenous and non-Indigenous residents of southern Alberta, and accepts both men and women. At capacity, it is expected to help up to 300 people per year pursue recovery — all at no cost to clients or their families.

Kash Shade (Saakooyinaa), CEO of the Blood Tribe department of health, says the opening marks a turning point for how care is delivered without leaving the first nation.

For nearby Piikani Nation, the facility’s location — roughly 45 minutes away — reduces barriers that have historically limited access to treatment.

Jenna Biollo, communications officer with Aakom Kiyii Health Services, says distance and transportation remain ongoing challenges for many seeking care.

While Piikani Nation offers its own mental wellness and recovery services, she says limited capacity means additional options are still needed.

Beyond proximity, Biollo says culturally grounded care plays a critical role in whether individuals seek and continue treatment.

“They can be guided through our elders,” she says, “whereas if they were to go somewhere in Calgary or Lethbridge for treatment, they’re not going to have that same sort of guidance or that cultural piece to it.”

Eleanor Maund-Stephens, co-owner and manager of Pincher Creek Medical Clinic, says that while the number of local patients requiring residential addiction care is relatively small, the need does exist and the clinic will refer patients to the facility if appropriate.

Information about the new recovery community has not yet reached the clinic through formal government channels so she welcomes more information about the program and how it can support patients in the region.

Filling a gap in southern Alberta

In Blackfoot, Iitakamotsiipiohsopi means a place to recover, and Marcel Weasel Head (Aapao’tokaan), who chairs the Blood Tribe department of health board, says it reflects a long-held community vision.

Health-care advocates and Indigenous leaders say there has been a critical gap, a lack of culturally appropriate, land-based treatment in the region.

The building itself embodies cultural design elements, including an east-facing entrance — consistent with Blackfoot teepee traditions — and a layout intended to foster connection and community among residents.

The Ministry of Mental Health acknowledges Indigenous communities are disproportionately impacted by substance use and says the investment responds directly to that reality.

The province provided $39 million in capital funding and has committed about $5.6 million annually for operations.The facility operates under provincial licensing and quality standards.

“This recovery community represents a true partnership between Alberta’s government and the Blood Tribe,” the ministry tells Shootin’ the Breeze. “Blood Tribe owns the recovery community and is responsible for its management and operation.”

Residents enjoy personal space including a desk.

Photos courtesy of Blood Tribe Department of Health

The recovery community has a fitness centre, barber shop, gymnasium, recreation area and bright communal spaces for residents.

Photos courtesy of Blood Tribe Department of Health

Treatment

What sets Indigenous recovery communities apart from other provincially funded treatment centres, the ministry says, is an explicit incorporation of Indigenous ways of healing, knowing and doing.

Residents can stay in the recovery community for up to one year, with support tailored to each individual.

Programming is guided by the Kainayssini (the Blood Tribe Elders Declaration) and rooted in Nipaitapiiyssinni, the Blackfoot way of life. Individuals also receive employment training and tools for long-term recovery after leaving the facility.

Success will be tracked through occupancy and utilization rates, program completion and successful transitions to stable housing and income supports.

Broader provincial investment

Alberta Budget 2026 allocates $29.6 million to open and operate five Indigenous-led recovery communities this year.

In addition to Blood Tribe, facilities are planned for Siksika Nation, Enoch Cree Nation, Tsuut’ina Nation and in Smoky Lake County near Métis Crossing. Together, the five communities will add 375 beds to the provincial addiction treatment system, capable of helping up to 1,500 individuals annually.

The province has invested about $180 million in capital funding across all five sites.

The Blood Tribe facility joins a growing network of recovery communities in Alberta, which includes sites in Red Deer, Lethbridge, Gunn and Calgary.

The Lethbridge Recovery Community, which opened in September 2023, has been the closest option for southern Alberta residents. It does not offer the Indigenous cultural framework now available in Cardston.

Accessing services

Individuals seeking admission to the Blood Tribe Iitakamotsiipiohsopi Recovery Community are encouraged to contact the Blood Tribe Department of Health directly at 403-737-8509, as the nation oversees the application process.

Those experiencing mental health or addiction challenges can also call 211 Alberta, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.