History
Directory of Addiction Services in British Columbia 2001 home
Kaiser Foundation
The Kaiser Foundation (originally named the Kaiser Substance Abuse Foundation, and more recently, The Kaiser Youth Foundation) was formed in 1985 by an endowment and subsequent contributions of about $4 million from Edgar F. Kaiser, Jr. The Foundation is an incorporated non-profit society and a registered charity that operates programs within British Columbia.
Historically the Foundation’s focus has been on young people, their families, and other key people who are influential in young people’s lives, with the goal of preventing substance abuse by youth. Nonetheless, this has not prevented the Foundation from engaging in activities that have a broader mandate, such as this Directory. In the last few years, the main focus of the Foundation has been on the addiction services system in BC and the challenges that must be faced if it is to be effective.
The Foundation is unique in its approach to substance abuse and other addictions. Since its inception, the Kaiser Foundation has brought the public and private sectors together in joint, innovative programs and services. By bringing together diverse resources and expertise, the Foundation has created new opportunities for research, addiction prevention, and innovative services, and has supported new public policy initiatives.
The Foundation’s programs are based on the following strategies:
- Promoting prevention programs
- Developing healthy lifestyles
- Using common sense approaches to reducing harms created by addictions
- Encouraging community self-sufficiency
- Being sensitive to and confronting drug abuse issues within a cultural context