Rob DeClark

Rob has worked in mental health and substance use treatment since 1998.  Rob began in Kamloops working at the Kiwanis House as a support worker and eventually as a counsellor in the organization.  He graduated with his bachelors of social work degree from University College of the Cariboo in 2004.  Rob then attended Carleton University and completed his Masters in Social Work in 2006.

The opportunity to develop his first treatment centre came in 2006 when he was brought on to be a part of the implementation team at Cedars at Cobble Hill.  Spending 11 years there he would eventually leave Cedars as the Vice President of Clinical Services.  In 2017, Rob was hired by Homewood Health to develop and the implement the opening of Homewood Ravensview.  It was here that Rob was able to learn a great deal about concurrent disorder treatment and how to incorporate trauma informed treatment in the inpatient environment.

In March of 2023, Rob decided it was time to open a centre that reflected his years of experience and reflected his values in treatment and staff culture.  Rob is currently the owner and executive director of The Healing Institute at Forbidden Plateau.  A small treatment centre in the Comox Valley that focuses on treating Addiction, Trauma, Anxiety and Depression.

During the times that he was working with these inpatient treatment centres Rob worked closely with many organizations and government agencies to provide them with assistance in creating clear pathways to find recovery.  Rob also found time to be the assistant coach with the Cowichan Valley Capitals from 2010 to 2015.  He worked closely with the British Columbia Hockey Association and the Canadian Mental Health Association to develop and implement the Talk Today program.  A program focused on assisting hockey players with pathways to finding support in mental health and substance use.

In spite of the countless lives impacted by Rob’s work, he is the most proud of creating staff cultures within the health care field that have thrived.  His goal has been to create environments where staff are better off for working in the mental health and substance use fields rather than burning out.