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Mental health a priority Team is shifting focus from crisis intervention to education and prevention
Miranda Scotland
Northern News Services
Published Wednesday, July 10, 2013
RANKIN INLET
Rankin Inlet's mental health team is putting more effort into education and prevention in hopes of curbing the number of crises in the community.
Jasmine Learning, left, Erin Ward, Irene Way and Millie Dietrich from Rankin Inlet's mental health team have started a number of new programs that are focused on mental illness education and prevention. - Miranda Scotland/NNSL photo
Mental health Programs available
Cooking up a Story
- Moms, babies and little kids Tuesday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Tween afternoon
- Ages eight to 12: Monday 1 to 3 p.m.
Teen Nights
- Youth aged 12 and up: Wednesday and Friday 7 to 10 p.m.
Let's Talk:
- Working together to prevent suicide: Anyone Monday 7 to 8:30 p.m.
Source: Mental health team |
This new focus is critical for the health and wellness of residents, said Millie Dietrich, manger of mental health for the Kivalliq region.
"Education and prevention is vital to break the cycle," said Dietrich.
The team has recently launched a number of programs with this in mind and already people are responding.
"It's been busy, busy, busy," she said. "People are knocking on the doors wanting to come in and the youth are feeling more comfortable."
On Monday nights residents are invited to the old group home to discuss suicide and how the community can help people open up about how they're hurting.
Irene Way, a psychiatric nurse, has taken the lead on this program.
In Rankin, she said, there is a fire prevention code, people have alarms to alert them of a blaze and everybody is on the lookout.
There needs to be that same vigilance when it comes to suicide.
Everyone needs to be keeping an eye out for signs that someone might hurt themselves, she said.
"Most of the people we see in mental health, this doesn't happen to them because we're walking the road with them.
"The people that end their lives are the people we don't know about."
One of the big indicators that a youth is in trouble is if they start to isolate themselves, said Way.
They stop going to school, they hang out in their room and they're no longer connecting.
Another is if someone does something such as overdose around someone hoping that person will notice, added Way.
"If someone is calling for help, let's take it seriously."
There had been plans to run an addiction education night but it was cancelled due to poor attendance.
However, the posters were enough to get residents talking.
"People still have a little stigmatization and resistance and are uncomfortable opening up to a group," said Dietrich.
"So right now they feel more comfortable one-on-one."
Jasmine Learning is the addictions counsellor.
She said she has gotten calls from people looking for answers to the questions she posed on the poster she put out.
They want to know if they have a problem or how they can help a family member, she said.
"It's opened people's minds."
Learning is considering trying to start the group again in the fall, but until then she is focused on delivering a 12-step recovery program for women.
It is set to start Aug. 1 and people have shown interest in attending.
There are a few women who have left the community to get treatment and some felt better going knowing they had something to come back to, said Learning.
That said, the program will be open to anyone who wants to attend, she added.
Another area the team is working on is trying to open a dialogue with youth so they will feel comfortable talking about mental health.
The team has started programs for moms and tots, tweens and teens.
Youth worker Erin Ward said they're hoping to build relationships with the children and break down barriers.
The team wants the youth to see this as a welcoming environment where they can share, she added.
On tween afternoons and teen nights children can come hang out, make crafts, play Wii, use the sports equipment and enjoy a snack.
On moms and tots afternoons, the focus is on socializing, early literacy skills, learning cooking techniques and engaging parents with their young children.
Caregivers also have a chance to bring up parenting struggles and discuss them in a group, said Way.
Every parent, she said, faces problems with their children at some point and they shouldn't feel alone in that.
So far the program has gone over really well, there is only one problem, added Way.
"It's hard to get the (kids) to go home."
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