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All eyes are on a program in Quebec that is said to be the only one of its kind in Canada: a live-in treatment center where mothers can stay with their children until they recover.
Portage, a long-running addiction treatment center in Montreal, provides space for 21 mothers to live together with their children while receiving intensive addiction treatment.
Diane Levesque is pictured with her son at the facility.
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The organization also operates an on-site day care where women can participate in therapy during the day. Overdose deaths in Quebec reached a record high last year, highlighting the daily hardships faced by many people and the urgent need for rehabilitation services.
For Diane Levesque, this program changed the course of her life.
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“I am a different person and I know I will never use it again,” she said in an interview with Global News.
Five years ago, Ms. Levesque was in a situation she describes as “complete hopelessness.” She struggled with cocaine and alcohol addiction for 25 years, a cycle that consumed her every waking moment, she said.
Even after giving birth to my son, I couldn't stop using it. Concerned for his safety, she made the difficult decision to temporarily relinquish custody until help could be obtained.
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Levesque checked into the portage, where the mother and children share a bedroom and a common living space. She has been sober for nine months and has now been sober for five years.
“Words cannot express how grateful I am to this place. It has changed my life,” she said. “They gave me back the old Diane.”
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Her experience inspired her to train as a therapist, and she now counsels other mothers in the program.
Levesque said her message is one of encouragement to those still struggling.
“I feel like I can give them hope,” she said.
She plans to spend the rest of her life helping other women overcome addiction like she did.
Watch the video above for the full story.
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