People living in Prince Albert will now have access to mental health supports in their own homes with the launching of a new Community Recovery Team (CRT).
The seven person team includes a team lead, a social worker, an addictions counsellor, an occupational therapist, and three Community Mental Health nurses.
The goal of the CRT is to manage the patient’s symptoms to avoid hospitalization but also to help patients achieve goals and thrive in the community.
Caroline Vandyck, the team lead in Prince Albert, explained how meeting people in their home or while doing a daily task can help the patient feel more comfortable and help the professionals to see first-hand how the patient’s mental health is impacting their daily life.
“It’s so much easier to have a conversation when they are just sitting in the vehicle beside you,” Vandyck said. “It can be quite intimidating for clients to go into an office setting.”
The CRT supports can be used by people facing a variety of struggles, according to Vandyck, including depression, addictions, and even social anxiety.
Chief Human Resources Officer Mike Northcott from the Saskatchewan Health Authority said he believes this more personal approach to treatment will be a more effective way of meeting patient needs.
“That’s what we’ve heard from patients,” Northcott told CTV News. “We want to meet them where they are at in their communities and provide that support local to where they’re at.”
Community Recovery Teams have been launched in Regina, Swift Current, North Battleford, Yorkton, Weyburn, Moose Jaw, and Saskatoon.
