Track: Young People’s Lodge (formerly TRACC)

Submitted on Friday, 01/24/2020 - 2:25 am

aast’ taapii moyis


In March  2021, TRACC changed its name to Track: Young People’s Lodge, or aast’ taapii moyis  in Blackfoot. This program was gifted the name by Casey Eagle Speaker, Hull’s Indigenous Resource Coordinator, through a naming ceremony. The name stems from the Blackfoot culture’s understanding of the word and how it represents the young people and the treatment in the program.
“The meaning behind the name is that, as young people, we are growing and learning as we transition to adulthood; we’re going to make mistakes,” said Andrea Ulrich, Program Director. “And through these mistakes, we grow, establishing our identify, who we are and who we want to be.”
“The Blackfoot names are significant in recognizing the ancestral lands of the Blackfoot Confederation that Hull is situated on, as is the city of Calgary,” said Eagle Speaker. “To have Indigenous inclusion is important to create a culturally safe place with humility, to give those we serve a sense of freedom and direction.”

About Track: Young People’s Lodge

Track: Young People’s Lodge, is an intensive therapeutic campus-based treatment program for adolescents experiencing significant emotional and behavioural challenges. The program provides a trauma-informed, relationally rich milieu with an emphasis on socioemotional skill acquisition, community participation, and connection to natural supports and culture.

Who this Program Supports

Track: Young Peoples Lodge, typically supports youth between the ages of 12-17 with significant mental health and/or behavioural challenges.

Youth may be referred to the program to address a wide range of presenting concerns including, but not limited to: self-harm, suicidality, addiction, substance use, sexual exploitation, running away and/or aggression. Some youth also have involvement with the criminal justice system. Typically, youth present with a level of cognitive and adaptive functioning that indicates a favourable transition route to lesser intensive settings upon discharge.

Through the provision of individualized and clinically-informed treatment, Track: Young Peoples Lodge, aims to transition adolescents experiencing significant mental health and behavioural challenges from a period of risk and instability to one of safety, connection, and increased independence in their community.

Our Approach

Both the Neurosequential Model (NM) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) serve as complementary frameworks through which the therapeutic milieu and clinical participation are informed and implemented. Within the program, NM is utilized to facilitate a developmentally sensitive, trauma-informed, neurobiological understanding of a youth’s history and present functioning.

DBT is utilized to facilitate socioemotional skill development in the areas of mindfulness, emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness. Although they are distinct therapeutic frameworks, NM and DBT are complementary in the sense that many of the DBT skills are designed to assist young people in modulating their nervous system arousal and ability to interact effectively with their environment.

Committed To Excellence

  • In addition to post-secondary training, staff receive training in trauma-informed care approaches, such as the Neurosequential Model and are trained in Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI).  The staff receive core Agency training as well as in program training.
  • The program staff are Child and Youth Care Certified through the Child and Youth Care Association of Alberta (CYCAA), and are members of the Association for Counselling Therapy in Alberta (ACTA) or are Registered Social Workers through the Alberta College of Social Workers.

How to Access the Program

Track: Young People’s Lodge (Formerly TRACC) is a managed – referral program

Please note: Track: Young People’s Lodge is accessed through Calgary Region Children’s Services.

For more information contact

Andrea Ulrich Program Director

  • 403-251-8082