LGBTQ2 addiction recovery program secures funding, opens intake in Winnipeg

When JP Grimard first began his recovery from addiction, he would have loved a space where he could speak openly about all aspects of his life.

“I was the only gay person there, so I didn’t feel entirely comfortable to talk about my experiences with bullying, trauma, sexual identity, which are a huge part of who we are,” Grimard says.

Now, years later, he runs one. The Rainbow Outpatient Addiction Recovery Program, or ROAR, is Winnipeg’s first free recovery program specifically for people in the LGBTQ2 community.

Clients meet twice a week for 16 weeks, and Grimard says that during a four-month pilot program ROAR began last year, 100 per cent of the clients reduced or completely eliminated their drug use.

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ROAR has now secured funding to continue the program beginning in September, partnered with Our Own Health Centre in Osborne Village. Grimard wants to keep it going indefinitely, so people who need it wouldn’t have to wait for support.

“I think it would just be such a crucial addition to health services in Winnipeg. There wouldn’t be any wait times or wait lists. The program would be rolling with an ongoing intake.”

Because it’s free for clients, Grimard says the program can reach people who wouldn’t have considered treatment otherwise, and they’re more likely to stick with a program that’s built around their experiences.

“They get a lot of practical skills, dealing with triggers and cravings, understanding their brain in recovery,” Grimard says. He adds that the program also looks at components of what it is like to live with homophobia, transphobia, biphobia, how those issues affect members of the community, and what impact those issues might potentially have on drug use.

Intake for September is open, and new participants can get in touch by contacting roar@ourownhealth.ca or 204-900-6048.

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