Pine River Institute
Toronto, Ontario

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Order Of Canada Awarded To
Pine River Institute CEO Minden

Pine River Institute CEO Dr. Karen Minden has received the Order of Canada for social service. Awarded by the Governor General, this award is the highest civilian honour and recognizes those people who have demonstrated excellence, courage or exceptional dedication to service in ways that bring special credit to Canada. This award is specific to Dr. Minden's contributions to addiction treatment programs for adolescents in Ontario as founder of the Pine River Institute. Pine River welcomed its first family in 2006, and has now served over 200 adolescents struggling with mental health and specifically substance abuse issues. It was the first long-term, family-centered residential program of its kind in Canada, and has effectively changed public policy regarding adolescent mental health treatment.

Pine River Institute is a residential treatment centre and outdoor leadership experience for youth 13 to 19 struggling with mental health issues, and specifically substance abuse. We offer a unique, holistic treatment and educational model, based on the developmental needs of adolescents, and grounded in best practices for substance abuse treatment for youth. Our program is family-centered, individualized, and offers a flexible length of stay with the average being 8 months.