INNISFAIL – The town’s financially challenged and COVID-battered citizens are being offered free counselling relief through a partnership between the Town of Innisfail and the McMan Youth, Family and Community Services Association.
The new program, which officially began on May 27, will provide up to three free counselling sessions from top-level clinicians to 60 to 75 Innisfailians.
“We are concerned about the long-term effects that the pandemic has had on our residents, and we felt that financial limitations should not stand as a barrier to those who need support,” said Karen Bradbury, the community and social development coordinator for the Town of Innisfail. “Our partnership with McMan in this initiative has allowed us to alleviate some of the need for these services in our community, limiting any further hardship on those who are already challenged by the circumstances.”
Dixie McLeod, McMan’s senior practice specialist, noted her agency had a similar provincially-funded five-month long free counselling program last year for Innisfail and area residents that was well received by the community. McMan partnered with four local clinicians to provide three free counselling sessions to Innisfail and south Red Deer County residents. A total of 63 free counselling sessions were provided to 25 individuals last year.
“People loved it. We had lots of feedback from clients who said, ‘this is just what I need’ or ‘this helps me through a tough time,” she said, adding the “COVID exacerbated’ issues included grief, loss, anxiety, lockdowns and isolation. “We had an age range from 13 to 90 who accessed the services. It was a broad range of challenges.
“It is COVID related or impacted by COVID,” said McLeod of the guidelines for inclusion in the new program, which she believes is “absolutely essential. “I would say almost everyone at some point in the last 15 months has been impacted. Things have gotten worse as a result of the pandemic, and its increased folks’ need to reach outside for assistance.”
When McMan was approached by the town with a partnership plan to resume a similar program just for Innisfailians, McLeod noted her agency already had program processes set up and partnerships in place with clinicians, who are psychologists and social workers. She also noted her agency was already working and relying on Bradbury and the town last year to determine the needs for the community.
“The counselling the last time would not have happened if Karen wouldn’t have said, ‘we are seeing time and time again that people can not afford counselling services,” said McLeod, adding a decision on a partnership for a new round of free counselling services was an easy one to make. “We said, ‘yes, we would love to’. I reached out to our clinician partners to see if they were able and available, and they said, ‘yes that would be great.”
The idea for the newly launched free counselling program had its origins last fall when the town received $799,579 in Municipal Operating Support Transfer (MOST) funding, a program created by the provincial and federal governments to assist municipalities with the financial impacts caused by the pandemic. Municipalities had until March 31 to use it, or return remaining monies to the province. The town had $76,940 unused MOST funds before the deadline and council approved giving it to Innisfail FCSS for additional community COVID assistance, which included counselling.
Bradbury said $30,000 of that 76,940 is being invested in the new free counselling program, with the remaining being invested in other community COVID relief initiatives.
“We have a number of initiatives being funded and are finalizing details of these,” said Bradbury. “There is definitely a continued need for additional counselling supports and this funding will help our residents with access to support their mental health and well-being.”
McLeod noted the program is not necessarily being marketed for low-income citizens. The guiding parameter for inclusion into the program is for citizens who are without benefits to afford the program, said McLeod.
“Any person who would be challenged to pay for therapy services,” she said, adding each successful client will have their choice of counsellor. “We have the websites of the four clinicians. They can then review them and choose who they want to see.”
McLeod said referrals for the service can be made in numerous ways, including self-referrals, from doctors, community agencies or family members.
Any citizen seeking the free counselling program and needing more information can call 403-227-8134 or email [email protected]. Citizens are invited to include preferred clinician, as well as their name, phone number and address.
