Beds for intensive cases of mental health have been utilized across Saskatchewan, including the Battlefords. (Josh Ryan/battlefordsNOW)

By battlefordsNOW Staff

Key support

Mental health focused beds offered to Battlefords residents

Jan 5, 2022 | 12:00 PM

As a rising number of Saskatchewan residents see their mental health impacted negatively during the pandemic, there’s a greater need for specific residential beds and services to help the transition out of hospitals.

The province made a budget commitment back in 2019-2020, providing approximately 75 residential mental health beds across Saskatchewan, with $6 million of annual funding beginning 2020-21. These offer client-centered services for people with severe and persistent needs, helping them live more successfully in their communities, while reducing use of spaces like emergency rooms and homeless shelters.

“Residential beds are an important support for people experiencing mental health challenges that allow them to continue living in the community and to their fullest potential,” Mental Health and Addictions, Seniors and Rural and Remote Health Minister Everett Hindley said in a media release.

Saskatchewan Health Authority’s Executive Director of Mental Health and Addictions – Urban, Colleen Quinlan, added the organizations providing these living arrangements understand the challenges people living with a severe mental illness face. Enhanced residential supports are a key recommendation under Saskatchewan’s Mental Health Addictions Action Plan.

“They can support individuals as they focus on recovery goals that maintain optimal living, and help them work through barriers that challenge their stability,” Quinlan said.

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The funding now covers 77 mental health residential beds in psychiatric rehabilitation services across the province, including eight in North Battleford. Saskatchewan’s $458 million invested in mental health and addictions supports and services account for 7.5 per cent of the overall health budget.

The Edwards Residential Society, which opened in 2020 in North Battleford, was selected for those less intensive mental health beds. Executive Director Wendy Childerhose said they had to follow protocols carefully when they opened on April 1, 2020, but found their services were utilized quickly.

“We started with two or three beds being filled, then we were full by that summer,” she said.

Currently, Edwards Residential has two staff working with the eight residents, providing supervision, teaching and support. Childerhose said they are encouraging independence and believe the results of people moving on from the facility in the past year and half are showing the program’s success.

“We’ve had some move on to independent living,” she said. “Not all, but that’s common for mental health. And we’ve filled up our beds soon after.”

Other communities with beds include Regina, Saskatoon and Prince Albert. All beds are currently operational aside from Prince Albert, which are scheduled to be up and running by March, and all are accessed through referral by mental health professionals.

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cjnbnews@pattisonmedia.com

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