People in Fort Nelson seeking help with mental health or substance use can access a range of services through Northern Health, from counselling and crisis support to opioid agonist treatment and harm reduction.
The health authority said its Fort Nelson Health Unit provides support for people with varying needs, including short-term counselling, longer-term case management and referrals to other services.
Available services include:
- Youth addictions counselling and referrals
- Counselling for older adults
- Mental health crisis response
- Short-term counselling for individuals and families
- Long-term case management
- Life-skills training
- Medication management
- Psycho-educational groups
- Mental health and substance-use education
- Psychiatric consultations
- Opioid agonist treatment
Northern Health also operates a Community Outreach Van in partnership with the Fort Nelson Friendship Centre.
Staffed by a Northern Health nurse, the van visits First Nations communities in the Fort Nelson area to provide information on substance use, recovery options and harm reduction.
The outreach service also offers group education sessions and culturally safe activities, while helping connect people with mental health supports.
Depending on a person’s circumstances and preferences, those supports can be provided in person or virtually.
Harm-reduction supplies are available through both the outreach van and the Fort Nelson Health Unit.
Northern Health said mental health clinicians are also available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for people needing crisis support.
The services in Fort Nelson are part of Northern Health’s broader mental health and substance-use system across the region.
That includes 85 supportive recovery beds at facilities throughout Northern B.C., as well as a regional youth treatment program.
People who complete treatment programs are routinely connected with follow-up care, including primary care providers, adult addictions day programs and community-based substance-use services.
Northern Health said referrals to treatment centres elsewhere in B.C. can also be arranged when appropriate.
The health authority noted that residential treatment is not necessary for everyone experiencing substance-use challenges.
“Many people can be effectively supported through outpatient services and connections to community support,” Northern Health said.
Wait times for services vary, the health authority said, depending on factors such as staffing, last-minute cancellations and the complexity of a person’s care needs.
The overview comes as local organizations and health-care providers continue working to connect Fort Nelson residents with mental health, addictions and harm-reduction services in the community.
The Fort Nelson Aboriginal Friendship Society was contacted for comment about its work with Northern Health and local residents but did not respond by publication time.
