As the Municipality of Jasper enters its third week of evacuations and emergency management due to the wildfires near the townsite, mental health for evacuees has been top of mind for a number of authorities.
Recently, the Calgary Counselling Centre, through Counselling Alberta, announced their intentions to provide mental health supports for those affected by the wildfire’s destruction.
The counselling service maintains that its services are available to all Albertans, regardless of their location, and in-person counselling is available in six cities, including Edmonton, Lethbridge, and Grande Prairie. Virtual sessions are also available for residents across the province to accommodate the needs of those who may be displaced or are unable to travel.
In Grande Prairie, GPREP representative and Chief of Public and Protective Services for the City of Grande Prairie Dan Lemieux says GPREP has been working with the province to help facilitate mental health resources for evacuees in GP.
“We are providing some support from Alberta Health Services for their mental wellbeing,” he says.
Additionally, the Town of Jasper has compiled a few resources for evacuees to utilize for their mental health during the difficult situation.
Evacuees are encouraged to reach out to the Psychologists’ Association of Alberta at 1-888-424-0297, the Mental Health Help Line at 1-877-303-2642, the Crisis Text Line by texting “CONNECT” to 741741, or Alberta 211 if they are facing a mental health crisis.
