AARC helps teens and young adults (ages 12–21) with moderate to severe drug or alcohol addiction using a long-term, semi-residential, 12-step approach. Founded in 1992, AARC is a research-backed program where clients live in “recovery homes,” attend group and individual therapy, and receive support from clinical staff, peer counsellors, and their families. Treatment emphasizes full abstinence, nutritional and physical wellness, and a strong family-focused recovery process.
Treatment begins with a family and teen pre-assessment, followed by evaluations to see if AARC is right. Teens then progress through four levels: Levels 1–2 are primary recovery, Level 3 is the middle phase, and Level 4 is advanced recovery. This whole journey usually takes 8–12 months, most often about 10, with research showing a 73% sobriety success rate 12 months post treatment.
At Level 1, clients live in recovery homes—private homes of experienced families—while attending treatment 6 days a week, including family sessions. At Level 2, they return home while continuing daily treatment and mentoring newcomers. Level 3 includes school or work with therapy on evenings or Saturdays. By Level 4, clients resume full school or work schedules, help newcomers, and plan for sober living after graduation.
AARC ensures treatment is accessible, and no family is denied due to financial barriers. After a confidential pre-assessment, each family’s daily fee is set according to ability to pay, with most receiving subsidies through donations, grants, and fundraisers. Though the real daily cost is higher, families pay only an affordable rate while benefiting from AARC’s entire family treatment model and lifelong community of support.
Private for-profit organization. Primary focus: substance use treatment, detoxification.
This listing is sourced from the SAMHSA Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator. Data last synced: April 2026. Always verify current programs and insurance directly with the facility.
