LAKELAND - “Our hopes and dreams are to have a physical space for these youth to come where they can feel safe and welcome to just walk in and ask for those supports when they feel like they need them.”
Kendra Krankowsky, mental health navigator for the Bonnyville Child and Adolescent Mental Health Collaborative, believes it's important youth have somewhere they can go where they feel supported, and the Alberta government seems to agree.
Last week, the province announced $7.3 million would be allocated to improving and expanding youth mental health hubs, so children and adolescents in rural parts of Alberta have easier access to the services they require.
“Is it needed? A hundred per cent. I think anytime you can offer the services that they’re looking at offering to youth – mental health and addictions, primary care, social services, housing, and school-based supports – for sure that’s needed,” expressed Town of St. Paul FCSS Director Lynn Smid.
Both the Bonnyville and St. Paul regions are currently offering some form of mental health support for youth in their areas, however, having them all under one roof would be more than just convenient.
“Accessibility is definitely one of the big components here, but it’s also that sense of safety and feeling of belonging and purpose for those youth,” Krankowsky said. “We’ve actually asked the youth of our community what they want and what they need. All of our goals and objectives are run and approved by our youth and directed by our youth. Their biggest thing is they just want a space that is safe.”
There are currently eight hubs in various stages of development across the province included in the $3 million of government funding allocated for 2021. These spaces are located in Medicine Hat, Fort Saskatchewan, Drayton Valley, Fort McMurray, the Tri-region area which includes Parkland County, Spruce Grove, and Stony Plain, as well as others in Grande Prairie, Enoch Cree Nation, and Maskwacis/Samson Cree Nation.
The government has provided enough dollars for a total of 12 hubs, with four locations still being considered.
The purpose of the hubs is to make it easier for youth living in rural parts of the province to access mental health and addictions services, primary health care, social services, housing, and school-based supports.
“Improving youth mental wellness is a top priority for Alberta’s government. Youth mental health hubs are a tremendous example of how community partnerships and community-driven services can make a difference in the lives of our young people and shape the future of our province,” Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Mike Ellis said in a release.
Rebecca Schulz, Alberta's Minister of Children’s Services noted, “It’s important that young people have safe, accessible services to improve their mental health, well-being and resiliency. These youth mental health hubs will make it easier for kids to find the support and tools they truly need.”
In Bonnyville, they’ve already been exploring whether one of these hubs would be feasible, Krankowsky said.
Two years ago, the Bonnyville Child and Adolescent Mental Health Collaborative applied for grant funding to look into the possibility of creating a space where youth ages 14 to 21 could utilize programming, access mental health supports, and simply “hangout” in a safe environment. The COVID-19 pandemic slowed down the process, but a steering committee has been created and for the last year, Krankowsky said they’ve been “steam rolling” along.
“A big gap we have found since our collaborative was put together back in 2016, is the gap in services for our youth to just be able to feel comfortable to go and seek that support and a comfortable space, or just the knowledge of where to go,” she explained. “Just a space for them to go and feel safe, hangout, and access the mentorship that can lead them to further progressions in their life. That’s one of the key things, is if you’re not a sports kid in Bonnyville, there’s not a ton of other activities that you can utilize here in town.”
In the Town of St. Paul, Smid said they offer free programming and assistance through the Lakeland Family Resource Centre to those 18-years-old and under.
“We refer youth and their families to organizations that have that intervention piece that we do not, but that being said, it’s very different having a hub where you can send youth and they can access all of those services in one place,” detailed Smid. “We have pieces, but what they’re talking about is a little more inclusive than what we’re able to offer, and I don’t know that we will get this funding, just because there are eight (hubs) out there already and I am not sure where those other four hubs are being planned.”
Although Smid isn’t convinced the Lakeland region will be one of the future communities where a hub is announced, she remains hopeful.
“Yes, this is needed. I would love to see that be able to come to our organization,” she expressed.
“I think, you have so many kids, due to COVID and even previous to COVID, that are struggling - maybe their home life isn’t the best and they’re couch surfing - they don’t necessarily know as youth what they can access for supports. They might not have the support at home that they need. There are so many different reasons why a youth might find themselves in a vulnerable position,” stated Smid. “Our schools have done an excellent job trying to assist these kids, but if they leave that system for whatever reason, we lose track of them and that connection with them and that’s the part where they become even more vulnerable.”
This year, $3 million of the funding has been dedicated to expanding already existing youth mental hubs with plans to announce the remaining locations in the coming months.
