Community Outreach Services (COS) has experienced an increase in mental health referrals for youth over the past few months, however, Anna DeClercq, a youth and teen outreach worker with the organization, doesn鈥檛 believe the spike is cause for concern.
鈥淚 think kids are becoming more educated and there鈥檚 less of a stigma around mental health so what we鈥檙e actually seeing is an increase in kids that feel comfortable talking to a mental health nurse or who might consider seeing an addictions counselor,鈥� DeClercq said.
鈥淲hen I was a teenager I didn鈥檛 know what anxiety or depression was, but because we鈥檙e talking about mental health services more and more I think kids are aware that these are real problems and it鈥檚 okay to talk about them.鈥�
While COS didn鈥檛 have numbers readily available, the organization said mental health referrals can be done individually, through a parent or guardian or through a staff member at the youth鈥檚 school, and can be about a myriad of issues including depression, anxiety, substance problems and sexual health inquiries.
鈥淚 can鈥檛 just go pull a kid out of class because their parents said so. The youth has to be open to coming in and working with us,鈥� DeClercq said. 鈥淭he really great thing about COS is that we鈥檙e not therapy, which makes it a little easier for kids to come in. Our job is to talk with youth and if we see any problems then we might refer them to the mental health nurse if we think that鈥檚 best.
鈥淚t鈥檚 more of us saying 鈥榟ey, are you interested in therapy? This is what it would be like.鈥欌��
In recent years the local community has stepped up its efforts to increase mental health awareness through initiatives like the J9 Sparkle Foundation and Jasper鈥檚 Community Helpers鈥� elephant in the room campaign.
鈥淟ocally there鈥檚 been a lot of great education for the kids. I think they鈥檙e very much aware that when you鈥檙e feeling low and things are going well then there鈥檚 something wrong and they can identify that and they have the words to describe those feelings,鈥� said
DeClercq, adding that technology also plays an important role in mental health education.
鈥淭eens who come in have almost half-diagnosed themselves because they鈥檝e been Googling their symptoms. Kids are starting to know what feels right and what feels wrong and they know how to get the help they need.鈥�
Community Outreach Services (COS) is located at 627 Patricia Street and offers confidential, non-judgmental support for all ages in Jasper. 聽For youth seeking help for any issues, but still wish to remain anonymous, DeClercq suggested Kids Help Phone, Canada鈥檚 only free, national, confidential and anonymous, 24-hour telephone and online counseling service. Its number is 1-800-668-6868.
Kayla Byrne
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