CASTLEGAR – New Democrat MLA Katrine Conroy is welcoming funding to provide greater access to low and no-cost mental health and substance use supports in the Kootenays.

Circle of Indigenous Nations Society based in Castlegar is receiving a grant to add additional hours of direct services, including individual and group counselling, and support for Elders. Grants are being awarded to twenty-nine community organizations across B.C. through the Community Counselling grants program administered by Community Action Initiative.

“We are investing in community-based counselling services to improve the broader network of mental health care in our province,” said MLA Conroy. “Low-barrier and culturally appropriate services like those provided through the Circle of Indigenous Nations Society provide important support for those seeking help.”

MLA Conroy said that this funding will support a broad range of mental health and substance use services province-wide, including easy-to-access counselling with a focus on marginalized individuals and those who have faced barriers accessing the supports they need. She added that a third of all recipients will be servicing Indigenous communities.

The BC New Democrat government is committed to providing faster access to mental health services, when and where people need it, and that this funding is part of A Pathway to Hope: A roadmap for improving mental health and addictions care for everyone in B.C.

Learn More: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2019MMHA0108-002092