Charles J. Andrew Youth Treatment Centre

Charles J. Andrew Youth Treatment Centre (CJAY) — now known as the Charles J. Andrew Healing Centre — is an Indigenous residential treatment facility located at 1 Shimun Street in Sheshatshiu, Labrador, Newfoundland and Labrador. Accredited by the Canadian Accreditation Council, recognized by the Youth Solvent Addiction Committee, and funded by Indigenous Services Canada, the Healing Centre provides a 10-bed residential programme for Indigenous youth, adults, and families — primarily Innu, Inuit, and First Nations peoples from Atlantic Canada — dealing with addiction, trauma, and emotional health challenges.

Integrated Clinical and Land-Based Healing Model

The Charles J. Andrew Healing Centre’s distinctive programme blends 50% clinical programming with 50% Nutshimit (land-based) programming. The clinical component focuses on trauma-informed psychoeducation, individual and group counselling, and evidence-based approaches to substance use including alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine, opioids, and benzodiazepines. The Nutshimit component grounds healing in the land, Innu culture, and the traditional practices that connect participants to identity, community, and ancestral ways of knowing. This integration creates a healing experience that is both clinically rigorous and culturally profound.

Youth, Adult, Toddler, and Family Programs

Unusually for a residential treatment centre, Charles J. Andrew offers programming across multiple life stages. The 12-week Adult Program provides comprehensive residential healing for adults. Youth programming addresses the particular vulnerabilities and developmental needs of younger participants. A Toddler Program recognizes the importance of early intervention and family-based healing. The Outreach Program delivers preventive education and support to communities before crisis points are reached. Together, these programmes reflect the Healing Centre’s commitment to serving the full community, not just individuals in acute crisis.

Building Resilience, Life Skills, and Cultural Reconnection

At its core, Charles J. Andrew Healing Centre is focused on nurturing self-confidence and resilience, developing essential life skills, and fostering the family and community connections that are the foundation of Indigenous wellness. Reconnecting participants to Innu culture and the land is understood not as an add-on but as essential medicine for healing the wounds of colonization, trauma, and addiction. For Innu and other Indigenous peoples in Labrador and Atlantic Canada, Charles J. Andrew offers a healing environment where culture is not just respected but is itself the healing.