Flagstaff County, FlHAR, F.I.R.S.T.: Rural Mental Health
The Flagstaff County along with Flagstaff Healthcare Attraction & Retention Committee and Flagstaff Informed Response Sharing Team, created a partnership to bring awareness to Mental Health in the Flagstaff Region for the youth, business community, healthcare sector and general residents.
Each individual group was working around their own tables wanting to provide their interested parties with some Mental Health resources. In an informal conversation it came to the Flagstaff County’s attention that all 3 of our groups had a similar goal to what they were wanting to achieve. Flagstaff County Economic Development team then called a meeting with all 3 parties. Starting the foundation of a solid partnership. The result of the meeting was the creation of the Flagstaff Region Mental Health Summit. This day would consist of 3 community stops, each targeting a different demographic. Speaker and Mental Health advocate Tyler Smith would speak to each group included would be local mental health resources and professionals on sight and targeted to each group.
The Mental Health Summit visited the following communities on May 31,2024:
Town of Daysland-Daysland School; targeting Junior High and Senior High students
Town of Hardisty-Community Centre; targeting employees, contractors from the Energy sector
Town of Killam-Community Hall; targeting healthcare professionals and community members at large.
To effectively split the work of hosting the Mental Health Summit, Flagstaff County, the Flagstaff Healthcare Attraction & Retention Committee, and the Flagstaff Informed Response Sharing Team had to follow a structured approach to ensure an equitable distribution of tasks and responsibilities prior to the event and the day of the event. As our group worked together, we had many other contributors come to the table to work with us to provide as much Mental Health Resources and Support as possible. Groups such as Alberta Health Services, Rural Health Professions Act, Flagstaff Family & Community Services, Flagstaff Adult Learning, Battle River School Division, and Hardisty Energy Terminals Group.
The Mental Health Summit was a large success and all parties involved felt they had hit their goal with our partnership and event. We hit each target demographic, and the result was 595 people participated in the Mental Health Summit. 10 Mental Health Professionals were available on site for the day to provide knowledge and resources to all participants. 5 tables of free take home resources available on site for the day as well.
Some of the highlight take homes of the event that couldn’t be put into physical resources was giving people the positive impacts of:
Inspiration and Hope
Reducing Stigma
Validation
Education and Awareness
Empowerment
Community Building
Encouraging Help-Seeking Behaviour
This collaboration is a testament to the strong and supportive community that we are so fortunate to be a part of. This collaborative effort demonstrates a strong commitment to fostering mental health awareness and support within the Flagstaff Region. By uniting the Flagstaff County, Flagstaff Healthcare Attraction & Retention Committee, and Flagstaff Informed Response Sharing Team, the initiative aims to address the mental health needs of youth, the business community, the healthcare sector, and residents at large. This partnership not only highlights the importance of mental well-being but also strives to create a healthier and more supportive environment for all members of the community.
Video from the Health Summit in Killam.AB : https://youtu.be/CQlZwTVYZrA?si=bheSMcuMu0UQIkNq
