Fresh Start and Great Plains College have created a partnership to formally introduce a walk-in mental health counselling service to the community of Maple Creek. An official opening event was held at Great Plains College's Program Centre in Maple Creek on March 6, 2020.
In 2019, the Government of Saskatchewan made a commitment to address the mounting issues relating to mental health across the province. A major financial commitment was made to establish and implement a series of walk-in counselling clinics that would provide additional programming to the existing continuum of services available. Fresh Start has partnered with the Ministry of Health in this initiative and in the fall of 2019, the successful launch of the EnRoute Walk-In Counselling Clinic' was initiated in Swift Current.
Fresh Start and Great Plains College have formed a partnership that has resulted in an extension of this walk-in counselling service to the community of Maple Creek. The service will be available every Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will be located at Great Plains College's Program Centre.
Sally Wiens, executive director of Fresh Start, is excited about the expansion of the EnRoute Walk-In Counselling Clinic' in an additional rural community in the southwest. "The injection of funding from the provincial government has allowed the expansion of walk-in counselling services across the province and we are proud to be one of those service providers," said Wiens. "Certainly the availability of the walk-in counselling clinic will complement the existing services in the community and we look forward to continue fostering positive relationships with those providers and others. We are pleased to partner with the Great Plains College and offer this service within their downtown location."
The clinic will operate on a walk-in, first-come, first-served basis. There are no fees associated with the walk-in counselling service and individuals do not require a referral from a physician, nurse practitioner or other health provider to access the service.
"Great Plains College is proud to be a part of the initiative to help provide additional mental health services in Maple Creek," said David Keast, president & CEO of Great Plains College. "We are looking forward to the positive relationship and outcomes as well to the additional services and benefits that will be available to the community."
As part of the official opening event agenda, officials from Fresh Start and Great Plains College signed a Memorandum of Understanding that establishes the parameters of the partnership between the two organizations. Following a pilot phase timeline, the organizations will evaluate the program offering at the College's Program Centre and anticipate moving toward a new longer-term agreement.
For more information about the EnRoute Walk-in Counselling service', individuals are encouraged to contact Fresh Start at 306-773-8168.
