The town of Bonnyville might take a shot at some province-wide recognition in a way it’s never really done before.
During Tuesday’s council meeting, members went over a letter sent from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs inviting them to make a submission to the 16th Annual Minister’s Awards for Municipal Excellence. The town hasn’t nominated itself for anything in the past, but Mayor Gene Sobolewski and council felt the town’s new initiatives on mental health were worth throwing their hat in the ring for.
The town has established a Mental Health and Wellness Clinic as well as hire a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Navigator, whose primary job is to advise clients seeking mental health treatment on how to navigate the system and what resources they have at their disposal. Plans are also in place to open a mental health day camp in the summer for kids and teenagers struggling with mental health issues who might not be able to participate in other camps.
Consensus around the table was “Why not?” The mental health program has already gotten attention around Alberta. Mayor Sobolewski was interviewed by CTV it in January.