HARRISTON – A grant through the Emergency Community Support Fund of United Way Guelph Wellington Dufferin, means Minto resident will now have access to fully-funded, same-day mental health services through Family Counselling and Support Services for Guelph-Wellington (FCSSGW).
The weekly clinic is to start on July 28 and will be virtual in the beginning.
Clients will be able to call to arrange a same-day appointment between 11 am and 6 pm with a registered therapist.
Brief therapy will be offered in follow-up sessions as required.
The physical office will reside at LaunchIt Minto located at 1 Elora St. N. in Harriston.
“We are excited to welcome Family Counselling and Support Services for Guelph-Wellington to Minto,” said Minto mental health and children’s programs coordinator Jessica Dettman.
“The service provided by FCSSGW will support the mental health and wellbeing of residents within the Town of Minto and surrounding communities, including members in the agricultural community.”
“Mental health-related services and supports are often less accessible and available in rural communities.
Dettman added, “Rural communities have felt the direct impact of these barriers to accessing mental-health services, which emphasizes the need for greater support services in our area.
“Individuals living in rural communities often have to travel to urban areas to access the services they require, however with the free same-day counselling coming to Harriston, we are hopeful community members will receive the appropriate mental-health support they need in a timely and affordable manner.”
Mental health issues can escalate quickly and having access to early intervention through same-day services delivered by expert therapists means clients can expect to leave the clinic with an action plan and hope, officials say.
“We have seen mental health struggles impact rural communities especially hard and have been advocating to make this service available for a long time,” said FCSSGW executive director Joanne Young Evans.
“Clients ranging from farmers in distress, families coping with youth depression, students with school and social pressures, and more have found hope in an otherwise tough time.”
Funding for the clinic runs until March 31 and FCSSGW is hopeful it will be able to find funding to continue this critical service.
More information about call-in times, contact numbers, and protocols will be made available closer to the launch date.
Visit www.FamilyServiceGuelph.on.ca to find out more about the agency’s programs.
