Today is World Mental Health Day, a day being marked locally with a variety of events planned to create awareness of the services available in our community.
The day’s events starting this morning with greetings and welcome at Partners in Mental Health & Well-Being at 83 North Street.
The event at the newly named Partners in Mental Health & Well-Being, formerly the Mental Health Drop-In Centre, would focus on the variety of services now being offered through Sask Abilities and SIGN, explained Aleks Hoeber with Sask Abilities.
“It’s about the mental health services that are available in our community,” she explained.
Those services start with the newly named centre.
Hoeber explained Sask Abilities took over managing the centre in 2015, with the named changed to better reflect that programming at the Centre is possible through various partnerships in the community.
Since taking over the services have expanded significantly, noted Kim Thomas, Mental Health Program Coordinator, growing from two to eight since 2015.
Thomas said the expansion of programming was undertaken to meet needs identified in the community, then finding the right resources to meet the needs.
“A lot of things we offer are based on partnerships,” said Hoeber.
One organization often involved in programming is SIGN.
Andrew Sedley, executive director with SIGN said it’s a good fit, meshing with the 26 different programs they are involved with in the community. He said ultimately it’s about helping people.
“It’s having counseling support for individuals who need it,” said Sedley.
Programming now includes;
Mental Health Drop-In Centre Day Program (MHDIC)
The MHDIC program provides a common location for individuals experiencing mental illness or mental illness symptoms to drop in and participate in a variety of programs. The program offers life skills, employment readiness, volunteer placements, social and recreational activities.
The Afterhours Gang (TAG)
The TAG program provides evening and weekend recreational activities to meet the needs of individuals living with mental illness who have other daytime commitments. A monthly calendar is circulated that highlights community events and activities providing clients with a chance to meet friends and be active in the community.
In addition Partners in Mental Health and Well-being also provide programming focused on personal and professional development
Strengthening Families Program
The Strengthening Families Program is a ten-week educational program that offers families, caregivers and other supports strategies and tools to better understand and support individuals living with a mental illness. Each evening session features a guest speaker who provides insight into resources available in the community.
safeTALK Training
safeTALK Training is a three-hour session about suicide alertness that teaches the four basic steps to create a life-saving connection. This training increases participants confidence in asking people about suicide directly, connecting them to life-saving resources and keeping them safe until those resources take over.
Free Yoga Classes
This class is targeted at social workers, RCMP members, emergency medical services, nurses, support workers, and other human service providers to promote self-care and reduce stress.
Peer Support
Support offered through sharing lived experiences of mental health and addictions barriers to create meaningful connections and aid to one’s journey of recovery.
Strong not Tough: Adult Resiliency Program
Educational program that teaches adults strategies on how to become more resilient and independently overcome everyday challenges that they may be dealing with.
