Amethyst Addiction Center

The History of Amethyst

March 1975 // The Task Force on Women and Chemical Dependency was formed at the request of a committee of representatives of alcohol and drug services in the Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton. The group was to examine the needs of women alcoholics in Ottawa-Carleton and make recommendations for service.

June 1976 // The Task Group completed its report, which included a recommendation for the establishment of programs emphasizing women's special needs. Following this, the group prepared a detailed proposal for funding for a treatment centre for women.

May 1978 // Three levels of government (Federal, Provincial and Regional) agreed to provide funding for the proposed Centre. The Task Group became the first Board of Directors of Amethyst Women's Addiction Centre.

January 1979 // A final agreement was signed with the Promotion and Prevention Directorate, Department of National Health and Welfare, to fund Amethyst over a three-year period as a demonstration project.

February 1979 // Amethyst opened its doors at 425 Parkdale Ave. and included a residential component.

September 1979 // The residence was phased out as it became apparent that the women who needed residential care also needed more supervision than could be provided.

November 1980 // A staff person was hired to develop an educational program, which included volunteer recruitment and training. Public education was formerly the responsibility of a very active Education Committee.

September 1984 // funding was secured for the Education/ prevention Program from United Way Ottawa-Carleton. The program's name was changed to the Health Promotion Program in 1986 to more accurately reflect its goals.

April 1986 // In response to an overwhelming growth in demand, Amethyst moved to larger facilities at 407 Queen Street. A capital campaign was launched to raise funds to purchase a new house. A generous $150,000 was contributed by the May Court Club of Ottawa, and an additional $50,000 was received from Ken Grant, from the sale of his cookbook, First You Find A Clean Dish, Then You Create The Unusual.

May 1986 // The Children's Drug Abuse Prevention Program began.

April 1987 // Permanent funding was secured for the Treatment Program from the Ontario Ministry of Health, Community Services Division.

August 1988 // Including support from May Court and Ken Grant, the Capital Campaign successfully raised a total of $200,000 in the community, enabling Amethyst to purchase its present facility at 488 Wilbrod Street.

January 1989 // Amethyst received funding from the Ontario Ministry of Health, Health Promotions Branch to conduct a two-year pilot project - the Children's Drug Abuse Prevention Program.

September 1989 // Amethyst established a satellite office in Kanata, in conjunction with the Western Ottawa Community Resource Centre. The office provides assessment and referral services as well as some individual counselling. An Amethyst counsellor is available at the clinic one and a half days per week, except when the 10-day program is in session at the Wilbrod Street facility.

August 1991 // First Collective Agreement signed.

October 1992 // A board/staff retreat began the process of formulating a new feminist mission statement and management structures.

October 1992 // Amethyst received additional funding from the Ministry of Health for the purpose of establishing a Francophone Program. The expansion included funding for two additional counselling positions, one bilingual and one Francophone.

Fall 1995 // Amethyst recorded its history and beliefs by launching the book entitled Here's to You Sister, Amethyst's story for women, about women.

Fall 1996 // Amethyst made two major policy changes:
a) women on antidepressants now benefit from the full range of services provided at Amethyst,
b) Amethyst now provides clients with more flexibility in their treatment options.

Spring 1997 // Amethyst established a Parent Support Program / Play Therapy Program which brought in the YWCA and Parent Resource Centre as partners. Funding for one year was provided by the United Way/Centraide Ottawa.

Spring 1998 // Amethyst received funding to continue the Parent Support Program for another year; a one-year grant from RMOC was also received to offer French-language Health Promotion Services on a trial basis and to translate the manual Women Juggling Roles.

February 1999 // Amethyst celebrated her 20th birthday. In honour of this, various events were held throughout the year. We enjoyed an evening of women entertainers and an Open House.

April 2000 // We received pilot project funding from the Ministry of Health Long Term Care to offer problem gambling services to women.

Fall 2001 // Our funder, the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care completed their restructuring of all the addiction service agencies in the Champlain District and as a result, the Champlain Addictions Coordinating Body (CACB) was formed. Amethyst is represented on the CACB through representation in the Women's Only Cluster Group.

Fall 2001 // We became the lead sponsor agency in the Early Childhood Development Addictions Project for the Champlain District.

Fall 2003 // We made changes to allow women who were in the process of stopping substance use to attend the Tuesday evening groups.

Winter 2003 // We received permanent base-funding from the Ministry of Health Long Term Care for our Problem Gambling Program.

February 2004 // Amethyst celebrated her 25th birthday. In honour of this special anniversary, various events were held throughout the year. We enjoyed a reminiscent supper in February, and held our 1st Annual Golf Tournament in June. All of these events were successful in raising funds and the profile of Amethyst Women's Addiction Centre.

April 2004 // We offered a Ten-day Program to the deaf and/or hard-of-hearing clients through the one-time Community Assess-Ability Program, Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration. We were able to provide sign language interpretation. This project was the only one of its kind in Ontario, Canada and probably in North America.

December 2004 // Our funder, the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care had initiated a restructuring process whereby all health districts in Ontario will be under a Local Health Integration Network (LHIN). Amethyst took an active part in the Community Consultation for this initiative.

Spring 2005 // We received an increase in base-funding for the Problem Gambling Program. Funds, in part, were distributed into the Health Promotion Program to include problem gambling education and awareness.