Our program director, Geoff Thompson, has a Ph.D. Dr. Thompson is also a full-time employee who provides individual therapy, staff training and development, and clinical supervision.

Consumer Protection Question #2: What are the credentials of the staff, especially the counselors and therapists, who will be working with my son?

Rationale: “Do they have appropriate and relevant advanced degrees like a Masters of Arts or in Social Work, a Ph.D, or an M.D.? Are they certified or licensed within the province? If they are, by what agency or organization? Ask to see copies of relevant documents, and consider contacting the certifying or licensing organization to confirm the staff credentials.”

All counsellors/psychotherapists at Sunshine Coast Health Centre must have a minimum of a Masters degree and be a member of the BC Association of Clinical Counsellors (indicated by “RCC”) or the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (indicated by “CCC”) – both regulatory bodies for professional clinical counsellors.

Consumer Protection Question #3: How experienced is your staff? Have they worked at other residential treatment programs? If yes, where and for how long?

Our counsellors/psychotherapists have many years of experience in residential treatment. Click on their photos below to read about their clinical experience.

Consumer Protection Question #4: Do you conduct background checks on your employees?

Rationale: “If the answer is yes, find out who does the background check and how extensive it is. Call the company to confirm that it provides background check services for the treatment program. If the answer is no or the program does not conduct background checks, consider it a red flag.”

As a licensed facility, Sunshine Coast Health Centre requires a mandatory RCMP background check on all staff. Be sure that the facility you are considering is licensed.

(*) Note: The U.S. Federal Trade Commission works to prevent fraudulent, deceptive and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop and avoid them.

Please note that there is no official Canadian federal or provincial government policy on purchasing private addiction treatment. It is the position of Sunshine Coast Health Centre that the same issues confronting American families purchasing private addiction treatment apply to Canadian families also purchasing adult private addiction treatment.

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