Teens and young adults who are struggling to cope with life's curveballs but have no regular family doctor now have a local option.
The Teen and Young Adult Clinic is available on a walk-in basis every Wednesday from 2:30 to 6 p.m. for anyone aged 14-25. The initiative was largely launched due to the combination of mental health issues young people face and the fact that many of them do not have a regular doctor to visit for treatment or advice, said Irma van den Hadelkamp, a registered nurse.
The walk-in clinic is located in the Sundre Medical Clinic at 557 Main Avenue. It's an initiative launched by the Peaks to Prairies Primary Care Network (PCN), which rents the office and will provide access to a physician free of charge, said Hadelkamp, adding three doctors will take rotating shifts and that she will also be working as a nurse.
"It's just an easy access for them (young people)," she said.
Teens and young adults are welcome to visit the clinic regarding any health concerns they might have, including common problems like sore throats to more serious concerns like mental issues, bullying, self-esteem, pregnancy, and relationship support. They can also get what they need to keep themselves and their partners safe by getting free contraceptives like condoms as well as free and confidential testing for any sexually transmitted infections, she said.
"They can come for everything ó we can support them."
The clinic launched early last November, and while some larger municipalities like Red Deer and Airdrie offer similar free walk-in clinics, it is the first of its kind in a small community like Sundre, she said.
The Teen and Young Adult Clinic was actually originally brainstormed by Greenwood Family Physicians as well as the Moose and Squirrel Clinic. Upon hearing about it, Hadelkamp said she approached the PCN to pursue the idea and was eventually able to secure some funding. It took about half a year to set up, she said.
Originally from Holland, where similar initiatives also exist, she has already experienced first-hand the positive effects of such clinics.
"It's really beneficial," she said.
As Sundre is a fair distance from larger municipal centres, the walk-in clinic offers a local option for those who aren't able to go elsewhere, she said.
"The goal is that they have easier access so that they will come earlier."
The more education that's made available to them, the better equipped young people will be to make informed decisions about their health, she said.
"We have lots of information and handouts for them to work with."
The clinic is a half-year project that will be re-evaluated in May, said Hadelkamp, adding she's confident additional funding can be obtained to continue the clinic beyond its trial period.
"So far, we are really happy with the way it's going," she said, adding teens and young adults have been coming to seek help and are also recommending the clinic to their peers.
"With the youth, the best way to reach them is word of mouth."
For more information, visit the Peaks to Prairies PCN Teen and Young Adult Clinic's page on Facebook. The clinic can also be reached by phone at 587-796-0697. Callers will be directed to an answering machine, but will get a call back, she said.
