Bold claim: a Victoria program is slashing addiction treatment costs by up to 70% by delivering care online rather than in traditional rehab centers.
Victoria’s Home Based Recovery (HBR) is offering virtual outpatient treatment to more than 100 patients over the past three years, enabling individuals to receive structured addiction care from home while continuing to work and support their families.
Robert DeClark, HBR’s executive director, notes that people in British Columbia typically shell out between $35,000 and $60,000 for six to eight weeks of inpatient treatment. Two of the biggest barriers to recovery are cost and time away from work, he explains.
"By moving treatment into people’s real lives, we’ve removed much of the financial burden while keeping clinical standards high."
HBR’s approach features a 30-day online curriculum modeled after inpatient care, paired with individual therapy and long-term aftercare. Clients receive daily psycho-educational content, grounding and meditation exercises, structured written work, and physical activity via an online platform. Each participant is assigned a registered therapist and can access up to 20 individual therapy sessions during the program.
The full treatment sequence lasts seven months, including six months of aftercare and recovery management after the initial program.
DeClark emphasizes that recovery at home eliminates significant overhead costs and concentrates on the core program experience.
The program is designed for people in the early to mid-stages of substance use disorder who are still employed and living with families but are starting to face serious consequences from addiction.
"The notion that people must hit rock bottom before seeking addiction care is a myth," he says. "Many recognize the problem early but need more support than weekly counseling and can’t step away for inpatient treatment."
HBR treats a spectrum of substance and behavioral addictions, including alcohol, cocaine, stimulants, opioids, and gambling, with alcohol use disorder remaining the most common among clients, according to DeClark.
Since its inception just over three years ago, roughly 70–75% of clients have stayed engaged through the full seven-month program, a rate DeClark considers high for the industry. As of this month, 13 clients are actively enrolled.
While inpatient treatment remains essential for some individuals, especially those requiring medical detox, digital care fills a critical gap.
"We’re aiming to make high-quality treatment accessible to more people," DeClark concludes. "Recovery shouldn’t depend on someone’s ability to step away from their life."
Would you consider online addiction treatment a viable alternative in your community, or do you think in-person care remains irreplaceable? Share your thoughts in the comments.
