The Canadian Mental Health Association’s (CMHA) Recovery College celebrated its grand opening.
The college located at 111, 8530 Manning Ave., features a bright welcome centre, a quiet area, a classroom for the Recovery College and the future space for the Integrated Youth Hub.
MLA for Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo Tany Yao, MP for Fort McMurray-Cold Lake David Yurdiga along with partners and donors gathered and did the official ribbon cutting ceremony Thursday.
Yurdiga said federally, more needs to be done to address the mental health crisis.
“We talk about mental health and a lot of times we look at the individual, but it’s more than the individual, it’s the families and the community.”
Comparing the new building to the previous location, he called it a more welcoming atmosphere.
Executive Director of CMHA Calgary Region Laureen MacNeil called the location “world class.”
“This was built so that people who may be feeling the issues of life and maybe some distress could come a week, maybe two days before they might show up in a hospital.”
She explained that the Recovery College provides peer support, which will help fill a gap in the mental health system.
Christine Savage, executive director of CMHA Wood Buffalo said the Recovery College – the second in the province – is a part of CMHA’s long term plan to address community for effective addiction and mental health services.
“Peer led support is at the heart of the college, where we will build inclusion, support and community among those in our region reaching out.”
The college currently offers 11 free courses that cover things like establishing boundaries, dealing with anxiety, creating healthy relationships and more.
