Victoria program offers online alternative to addiction treatment
Published 1:30 pm Saturday, February 14, 2026
A Victoria addiction treatment program says it is reducing costs by as much as 70 per cent by treating clinical care online instead of in traditional rehab centres.
Home Based Recovery (HBR) has provided virtual outpatient treatment to more than 100 patients over the past three years, allowing clients to receive structured addiction care from home while continuing to work and support their families.
Robert DeClark, executive director of Home Based Recovery, said people in British Columbia typically pay between $35,000 and $60,000 for six to eight weeks of inpatient treatment.
Cost and time away from work are two of the biggest barriers to recovery, DeClark said. “By moving treatment into people’s real lives, we’ve removed much of the financial burden while keeping clinical standards high.”
HBR’s program includes a 30-day online curriculum modelled after inpatient treatment, combined with individual therapy and long-term aftercare. Clients receive daily psycho-educational content, grounding and meditation exercises, structured written work and physical activity through an online platform.
Each client is paired with a registered therapist and can access up to 20 individual therapy sessions during the treatment.
The full treatment process spans seven months, including six months of aftercare and recovery management following the initial program.
“By doing recovery at home, we’ve eliminated significant overhead costs and focused entirely on the core program experience,” DeClark said.
According to DeClark, the program is designed for people in the early to mid-stages of substance use disorder, individuals who may still be employed and living with their families but are beginning to face serious consequences from addiction.
“The idea that people need to hit rock bottom before seeking addiction care is a myth,” he said. “Many recognize the problem early but need more support than weekly counselling and can’t step away for inpatient treatment.”
HBR treats a range of substance and behavioural addictions, including alcohol, cocaine, stimulants, opioids and gambling. Alcohol use disorder remains the most common among clients, DeClark said.
Since launching just over three years ago, about 70 to 75 per cent of clients have remained engaged through the full seven-month program, a rate DeClark said is high for the industry. As of this month, 13 clients are actively enrolled.
While inpatient treatment remains necessary for some clients, particularly those requiring medical detox, DeClark said digital care fills a critical gap.
“We’re trying to make high-quality treatment accessible to more people,” he said. “Recovery shouldn’t depend on whether someone can afford to leave their life behind.”