RCSC continues to help people deal with mental health and addiction issues

BARRHEAD – Having a place to go to deal with mental health and addiction is becoming increasingly important as people continue to face the ongoing stresses brought about dealing with the coronavirus outbreak.

And that is why the Ripple Connection Support Centre (RCSC) is doing what it can to continue to provide mental health support despite having to close its doors to the public.

The not-for-profit organization, which opened in 2010, provides services for people who directly suffer from mental illness as well as their families and caregivers. On any given day RCSC serves between 20 and 30 people daily,

Executive director Tracy Whitten said RCSC closed its doors to the public on March 26 as part of the restrictions imposed by Alberta Health Services (AHS) as part of its effort to slow the advance of COVID-19.

However, she said the centre continues to serve clients as best they can via telephone, e-mail and video conferencing through Zoom or Facebook Messenger.

"Through these methods, we are able to provide peer-to-peer as well as referral counselling," Whitten said.

Referral counselling is where a counsellor will refer clients to other agencies. In the case of the RCSC, they mostly deal with referral counselling for clients with addictions.

"We give them information about AA or NA [Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Annoymous]," she said, noting both groups are meeting through a combination of video conferencing and telephone. "For some people, it might be a little confusing [technology] so we can help them learn how to set it up."

And although the centre, since its doors are no longer open to the public, has suspended its lunch program, people who are in difficulty can arrange to access the RCSC's food bank program.

As with the Barrhead Family and Community Support Services (FCSS), food hampers must be prearranged for pickup.

Whitten also noted that she is still doing regular wellness checks with several of the centre's clients, keeping in mind to follow the safety guidelines set out by Alberta Health Services (AHS) such as physical distancing.

The other issue Whitten is continually working on is finding appropriate housing options clients.

In previous interviews with the Town and Country Today, she has noted that there is a homelessness problem in Barrhead and the COVID-19 crisis hasn't improved the situation.

The RCSC is located on Barrhead's Main Street in the back of what was the Flower Lane building. In the last year, they have taken over the entire building.

Currently, the organization is in the middle of a fundraising campaign to complete renovations to give them additional space. The renovations would also include upgraded kitchen and restroom facilities, which Whitten said would give them the ability to offer emergency shelter.

To help fundraise, the centre was holding weekly garage sales, in the former flower shop portion of the building. Unfortunately, COVID-19 has curtailed this activity as well.

The RCSC is open Monday to Thursday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information on their programming call 780-674-5548 or e-mail [email protected]. The centre can also be contacted through Facebook.

Barry Kerton, TownandCountryToday.com

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