West Central Crisis Centre serves a huge area

Cases of crisis intervention and trauma has increased substantially in region

By Joan Janzen

Michelle Weber, Executive Director of the West Central Crisis & Family Support Centre, took time from her over-the-top busy schedule to give me a tour of the Centre’s future home. Accompanying her was Board member Laurie McManus.

Construction workers were hard at work. Both Michelle and Laurie assured me much work has been accomplished, but much more work has yet to be done. In her annual report, Michelle stated, “Over the course of the year, management, project managers and the Board gathered to develop a continuous plan for the next stages of development for our new operational building.” She noted that it seemed fitting to forge ahead, and that’s exactly what they’ve been doing.

Board members and staff never anticipated the enormous challenges they would be facing after they were finally able to place their new building at its new location near Walmart in Kindersley. Michelle listed the roadblocks: a downturn in the economy, including the oil and gas sector and the agriculture industry, which experienced drought. Delivery and construction costs increased by at least one-third; there was a downturn in donations, and of course, Covid.

Not only is the Crisis Centre facing these challenges, but the people they serve are also forced to confront them. Multiple pressures and stresses are evident in Kindersley and the surrounding area: job losses and increasing cost of essentials such as food, gas, and utilities. These pressures magnify existing circumstances such as family dysfunction and substance abuse.

This is evident as charts compare the increase in numbers from 2019-2020 compared to 2020-2021. Cases of crisis intervention and trauma increased from 485 to 992. Incidents dealing with essential needs and short-term counselling increased from 738 to 2,928, and support for interpersonal violence and abuse increased from 6,531 to 11,035.

“We had to lay off staff for the first time,” Michelle explained. “But we roll with the punches and cut corners. We’re accountable to the community, so extra dollars coming in go to support the programs. With every growth opportunity to fill service gaps in our area, there are funds needed to sustain it.”

The newest program is called FIRST (Family Intervention Rapid Support Team). This is designed to build relationships and create an intervention plan for family to deter projected trauma or distress. It’s just one of the thirteen programs the crisis centre offers.

A few of the programs which the staff currently concentrate on include: Therapeutic and Front-Line Crisis Counselling, Family Violence and Abuse Programming, 24 hour Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline & Survivor Services, Children Exposed to Violence Programming, Outpatient/Day Treatment Program, and Traumatic Events Response.

While funding is essential to sustain new and existing programs, the Crisis Centre faces the additional challenge of staffing, which has not increased. In spite of ongoing challenges, the team at the Crisis Centre are filling in gaps, serving not only the community of Kindersley but Kerrobert, Eston, Rosetown, Hanna, Oyen, Empress. Michelle explained that they will have staff serving in Biggar, Kerrobert, Macklin, and Alberta in a single day.

As you can see, there is a great need for the Centre’s new facility to be up and running. The top level of the building houses the clinic side on the east, which includes two waiting rooms to enhance privacy, a board room and counselling rooms. Currently, sexual assault statements need to be made at a room in the RCMP detachment, but once completed, the new facility will provide a room for this need. The west side of the upper level is residential and can house up to ten people. It includes bathrooms, living room, staff support room, intake room and kitchen.

The facility’s bottom level includes therapeutic rooms, bathrooms, a living room area, and a conference room that will also be available to the public. There are also spaces for laundry, offices, storage and a maintenance room.

“It may seem like nothing is happening on the outside, but a lot is happening inside,” Laurie McManus said. Laurie and the other Board members come up with a design, plan, and direction. “We can definitely use more Board members,” she said. Board members from surrounding communities would also be beneficial to the crisis centre.

The Crisis Centre is working together to create awareness, educate the public regarding needs in the area, including the need for support.

“It all comes down to manpower,” Michelle said. “Everyone is quite innovative at the moment.”

The West Central Crisis & Family Support Centre team deserves a huge shout-out! Not only are they being innovative as they manage to function in a limited amount of space, but they are constantly on call to care for needs in Kindersley and area.

“I am so thankful for our hard-working, service-minded team that continues to move forward throughout the challenges,” Michelle stated. “I can firmly say that West Central Crisis, once again, pulled together to rise to the challenges our communities were facing. Every area of our agency’s programming had to adapt and use innovative ideas to continue operationally.”

Michelle Weber, Executive Director of West Central Crisis & Family Support Centre (L) and Laurie McManus, Board Member (R) hold up a sign in their future operating facility.

PHOTO BY JOAN JANZEN