Family Service PEI saddened to see sister organization fold, but will try to fill some gaps

Family Service PEI says it is sorryto hear its sister organization, the P.E.I. Catholic Family Services Bureau, is closing.

The Catholic Family Services Bureau in Charlottetown will close June 30.

"I need to express just how deeply saddened I am by the closure of our sister agency after almost 90 years in operation,"said Kathy Jones, executive director and clinical therapist with Family Service PEI.

"We can fill a part of that gap, but the challenge for us would be there were 2,000 clients that were served byCatholic Family Services ... We're not going to be able to fill the entire gap without additional funding from the province."

The Catholic Family Services Bureau offered professional counselling and educational programs many free of charge to anyone seeking help, regardless of religion. This also included music therapy, a unique offering which isn't provided by Family Service PEI.

'Never turn anyone away'

Family Service PEI, which is an amalgamation of the former Prince County Family Service Agency and the Protestant Family Service Bureau, also offers professional counselling and educational programs, including a credit counselling service.

"In terms of our clinical counselling, the service would be very similar, so we offer individual, couple and family counselling as well as some group counselling with our agency," Jones said.

"The main thing I'd like the public to be aware of is that there has been two family service organizations in Prince Edward Island. Our own organization has existed for almost 70 years."

Jones said Family Service PEI also has a mandate to "never turn anyone away due to their inability to pay."

Filling a 'critical gap'

Both organizations are members of Family Service Canada, an organization to which most family service agencies belong. Family Service PEI has not had any religious affiliation for about 25 years.

"We actually fill a pretty critical gap in the community," Jones said.

"That gap is in between what are lengthy wait times in the public sector and private practitioners who charge more than what we, as a not for profit, charge for services."

She said family service agencies play a vital role and depend onfundraising.

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