Mental Health Association fills counselling gap in Whitehorse

Another organizationis stepping up to provide free counselling services in Whitehorse, as the first layoffs for employees at Many Rivers Counselling and Support Services become effective Friday.

The Yukon division of the Canadian Mental Health Association is offering drop-in and short-term counselling until the end of March.

The executive directorsays the service was bornout of the Many Rivers strike. Workers at Many Rivers walked off the job in early November, and the strike lasted 11 weeks.

"We saw a lot of folks coming through our door looking for services,"said TiffanieTasane.

She says it was pretty quiet when the program launched early last week, but that changed this weekafter the news broke aboutMany Rivers handingout layoff notices to its staff.

"Some of their counsellors have been making reference for their clients to contact us, and the phone is ringing off the hook,"said Tasane.

She says they can keep up with the demand, for now.

"Anybody can drop in. We have two counsellors on staff. It's first come, first serve,"said Tasane.

Hope to see funding extended

"There's certainly a need for services in the Yukon. The service we're providing is only a filling a small roleboth in ... the availability of counsellors, but also in what the service is,"she said.

Tasane says the free services do not include family counselling or substance abuse counselling at this point. It also does not include major mental illness diagnoses.

Tasane says funding comes from the territory's Department of Health and Social Services and she's hopeful it could be extended past the end of next month and possibly become a permanent service.

"One of the shortcomings of short term funding like this isyou get the service up and running and then you pull it away and that is not something we want to do. We know the community has needs,"said Tasane.

Drop-in counselling is offered on Tuesdays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Appointments can be booked Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., but Tasane says there is some flexibility for evening and weekend appointments.