Mental Health and Our Community
by Judy Brown, June 2010     
 
        May was Mental Health Month and the guest speaker at last month’s Central Peace Community Health Council Meeting was Hywel Williams, Executive Director of the Canadian Mental Health Association Alberta Northwest Region.  
        Mental health issues and concerns affect almost all of us in one way or another.  We may have relatives, friends or acquaintances who have had or still need help with mental health conditions. We may be looking for help for ourselves or for someone who appears to be falling through the cracks in the health care system.  Mental health is part of health in general.  There is no invisible dividing line between the health of the body and the health of the mind and each contributes to the health of the other.  In our enlightened society we are recognizing this more and more.  Mental health problems can affect anyone, any time.  They may be passing or chronic but in either case help and support are critical both for the sick person and his or her caregivers.  Conditions include depression, bi-polar disorder, schizophrenia, problems due to brain trauma from accidents, injury, illness or other causes, age related dementia, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s or other neurological disorders, stress and grief among others.  Related concerns include alcoholism and drug abuse resulting from self-medication and difficulties making good decisions and choices.  Homelessness and trouble with the law may become factors.  
        With all of this in mind, the community health council wanted to learn what services are available to our communities.  Where does one go for help?  Who can help? Hywel Williams endeavored to give us some answers.  
        Of course the first line of help is a doctor.  He or she can assess the problem and make references.  Sometimes a more immediate route or a different route is required.  
The Canadian Mental Health Association- Alberta Northwest Region is a registered not-for-profit tri-level (local, provincial and national) association.  Alberta Health Services pays for service while the City of Grande Prairie, and other sources help provide the funding for buildings and staff.
        CMHA- ANWR operates four supported independent living housing units in GP.  Willow Place is a 58 bachelor room apartment building where they offer a fee for service from Alberta Health Care supportive housing program and community outreach for the general public which includes employability development, mental health awareness, independence life skills training etc.   They also run Fraser House, a four-bedroom house for males recovering from addiction, Family House, an affordable housing duplex, and City House, an affordable Housing Triplex.  All of these are partnerships with other agencies which they seek out wherever and whenever possible.  
        CMHA-ANWR is a community partner in PACT (Police and Crisis Team) a project funded by Safe Communities Innovation Funding. PACT is a project whereby the RCMP is paired with a mental health worker when dealing with mental health calls. The mental health worker can de-escalate the situation and decide the best course of action. That person would know who and where to access required services. The PACT project is currently operating in Grande Prairie and Beaverlodge. It has just been announced to other local detachments and they can plug into PACT with a phone call to the Grande Prairie detachment. At the moment the Grande Prairie PACT team works Monday to Friday during business hours.
        The wait list for ongoing affordable psychological counseling is long, as anyone currently seeking it knows. There is very little psychiatric help available locally for adults and no child psychiatrist. So what is available?
        The Public Health Center (the Health Unit) in Spirit River can help with finding mental help services, supply educational and informational brochures, and make calls for you. A mental health therapist, Tammy Sheppard, comes to Spirit River once a week on Tuesdays to see patients with appointments at the Health Unit. The therapy can also be “counseling” which means the patients do not have to be as sick as the ones in Grande Prairie in order to see someone. The staff at the Health Unit can help you make an appointment or you can phone directly to Access Mental Health Intake. Grande Prairie has a Thursday Assessment Afternoon on the 6th floor Nordic Court. Health advice or information is available day or night from Alberta Health Link.
        Alberta Health Services has just compiled a Pocket Guide to Mental Health Supports and Services, which will be available at health related facilities soon. Information and help numbers can be also be found by looking up The Grande Prairie Guide to Survival on the Internet. It offers phone numbers for a wider range of services such as where to find clothes, food and shelter. Below are some phone numbers that may be helpful.

Grande Prairie Mental Health Services
Walk-in Clinic: Thursday’s 12:30pm-4:30pm
780-538-5160
#600, 10014-99th Street


Alberta Health Link
Health advice or information from registered nurse 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
1-866-408-5465


Canadian Mental Health Asscoiation 814-2349
Grande Prairie and Area
Grande Prairie Mental Health 538-5160 (call for Tuesday appointments in Spirit River)
Addictions 538-6330
Child and Family Services 538-5102
Fairview Mental Health 835-6149


Crisis Services (24/7)

Distress Line 1-877-321-2747
Mental Health Help Line 1-877-303-2642
Child Abuse Hotline 1-800-387-5437
Children’s Services Crisis Unit 1-800-638-0715
Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission Helpline
1-866-332-2322
Kids Help Phone 1-800-668-6868
Poison Control 1-800-332-1414