THUNDER BAY – Bell Let’s Talk is paying dividends in Thunder Bay.
On Thursday, representatives of the Catholic Family Development Centre and Our Kids Count introduced Our Kids Count Let’s Talk, a walk-in counselling clinic open to adults, youth and children in need of someone to talk about issues they might be facing.
Amy Silvaggio, a development manager with Our Kids Count, said it’s an important step, made possible through a $25,000 grant from the Bell Let’s Talk fund, which since 2011 has raised more than $94 million in support of mental health initiatives across Canada.
“There has been an identified need by our participants that counselling services need to be more accessible, particularly in this area,” Silvaggio said. “So we are now able to try to provide that at two sites in the city, two nights a week.”
Clinics will be held on Tuesdays from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Our Kids Count’s McKenzie Street headquarters, and on Thursdays from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at 288 Windsor Street, unit 16.
Silvaggio said counselling services are already offered through both organizations, but the new service will provide two counsellors and intake staff.
Counsellors will see clients on a first-come, first-served basis.
Silvaggio said she expects demand to ramp up once people realize it’s in place.
“It might be a slow start, but there will be an immediate impact,” she said. “Because as soon as the first person comes through the doors, they’re accessing a service that is going to help them out of a critical state.
“From there they can have up to six sessions, and then they can get referred to other services if they need it. I think it will be immediate, but we hope this will be sustainable for a long period time.”
Bell Canada’s Terry Lagimodiere, said the company is glad to have this kind of an impact on the communities in which they serve.
“It is Bell Let’s Talk Day, so it’s a very important to give back to the communities for these types of initiatives,” Lagiomodiere said.
No appointment is necessary for the clinics.
