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Women in drug treatment court benefit from provincial investment

89 per cent of women who went to Kate's Place report decreased substance abuse.
katesplace
Kate’s Place provides 24-hour, supervised and supportive housing to women and their children as they re-enter the community.

REGINA – The province is increasing its funding by $27,000 for Kate’s Place, a residence that helps women participating in Regina Drug Treatment Court [RDTC].

The Sask. government is injecting $912,849 over three years to support Kate’s Place, which is operated by the Salvation Army. Kate’s Place provides eight, two-bedroom units for women participating in the RDTC, or who have been placed under supervision by Community Corrections, and are dealing with substance dependence.

"Kate's Place offers court-monitored treatment, programming, and helps women build positive parenting skills, establish connections to employment and regain control of their lives," said Bronwyn Eyre, Justice Minister and Attorney General in a prepared statement Tuesday.

"In recent years, 20 babies have been born drug-free to women living at Kate's Place, and 10 women have regained custody of their children. That is significant," she added.

Kate’s Place provides 24-hour, supervised and supportive housing to women and their children as they re-enter the community. Kate’s Place opened in 2012 and has been funded by the Government of Saskatchewan since 2014.

Seventy-four per cent of Kate’s Place residents had 90 or more clean days prior to leaving the facility and 89 per cent reported decreased substance abuse. In addition, 95 per cent reported improved life skills in the areas of financial literacy and personal management skills. As well, 89 per cent say they understand the impact that their offences may have had on victims.

"The Salvation Army Kate’s Place offers a beacon of hope to women struggling to overcome addiction and transform their lives,” said Karen Hoeft, Salvation Army executive director. “The Salvation Army is excited to continue to partner to provide much needed supports for women and their children.”

Kate’s Place is the only dedicated housing option for women in the RDTC and electronic monitoring programs within Saskatchewan. In 2021-22, 19 women were referred there, and the average length of stay was 148 days. Residents are typically between the age of 22 and 35, and many live with chronic physical and mental health issues, in addition to drug use.

Like other community-based organizations, Kate's Place received a three per cent increase from the Government of Saskatchewan for fiscal years 2023 to 2026.

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