The following six overarching concepts guide clinical practice in order to achieve the mission at Dr. Peter Centre:

1. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs identifies five levels of need:
• physical need (food/thirst, sleep, health, exercise/rest)
• safety needs (security, protection, comfort, peace, order)
• needs for belonging (acceptance, belonging, love, affection, participation)
• self-esteem needs (recognition/prestige, leadership, achievement, competence)
• self-actualization needs (fulfillment of potential, challenge, curiosity, creativity, aesthetic appreciation)

To meet this continuum of needs, the Dr. Peter Centre offers services ranging from basic amenities such as nutrition and laundry to art therapy, psychotherapy and support with medication adherence.


2. The Orem Model of Self-Care respects the client's right to determine his/her degree of personal commitment and responsibility for acquiring the knowledge, attitudes and skills necessary for enhancing and maintaining health. Limited abilities in any of these areas is an impediment to self-care. The Dr. Peter Centre helps clients meet their stated health care requirements through a range of services including health advocacy with doctors and health care service providers, medication support, a methadone maintenance program, basic wound care and harm reduction services.


3. The Therapeutic Community Model (TCM) uses community as a structure and a method to help individuals change themselves through community expectations, evaluation and acceptance. Programs are made available for clients to be able to set goals and reach them through active involvement in decision-making in a community setting. Self-help and mutual self-help are emphasized. Clients commit to the support of peers as well as themselves. The TCM pro-actively establishes community norms to encourage healthy relating.


4. Through Restorative Justice , conflict is managed through a three-step therapeutic process involving all community members who have been affected. Those who caused harm are confronted with how their behavior has affected others, taking responsibility for their behavior rather than walking away from the community of people they have hurt. And those who have been harmed are given an opportunity and a safe forum to talk about how they were affected. Family and other supporters often get involved resulting in a learning experience for all.


5. The Transtheoretical Model of Change offers a holistic and caring approach to behaviour change. It is based on the central premise that people progress through five stages of change in an individualized and often non-linear manner: pre-contemplative, contemplative, preparation, action, and maintenance. This model accepts that progression towards new and healthier behaviour is a long-term process and that staff are guided by this when developing appropriate interventions.


6. Harm Reduction is a set of attitudes, behaviours and strategies aimed at reducing the harm associated with risky behaviours to the individual and to the community. Approximately 70% of the participants at the Dr. Peter Centre have either a history of using substances or are currently struggling with addiction. Many of these individuals have experienced poverty, violence, and abuse, are polysubstance users and are living with mental health problems. To reflect this reality, and to meet their very complex health needs, the Dr. Peter Centre's interdisciplinary clinical team provides harm reduction services including: safe injection service/needle exchange, distribution of condoms and lubricant, sexual health education, and safe money storage for participants who feel triggered by cash in their pocket.