Engagement sessions seek input

Shelburne County Mental Health and Wellness Association look for ways to increase supports

The Shelburne County Mental Health and Wellness Association is hosting community engagement sessions in Barrington and Shelburne to get the conversation flowing on what’s important and needed to increase supports in the county.

Sessions are scheduled for Jan. 28 at the Barrington Municipal Library in Barrington Passage from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. and Jan. 29 at the McKay Memorial

Library in Shelburne from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

“There are a couple of outcomes we hope to see as a result of the community engagement sessions,” says Kevin Grant, chairman of the Shelburne County Mental Health and Wellness Association. “To reduce stigma and talk about it; to begin community-wide action planning on mental health; and to do what we can to see an increase in mental health supports for Shelburne County.”

The association is encouraging anyone with an interest in bettering mental health services and supports to be part of the discussions and “to get to the heart of the matter about what’s important to us and our community," the association says.

People are being asked to preregister so they have an idea of how many people are going to attend the sessions, by emailing Cindy Hagen at scwarmlinecoordinator@gmail.com.

The Shelburne County Mental Health and Wellness Association is a community-based, not-for-profit group intended to advocate for and improve mental health in Shelburne County by reducing stigma, promoting recovery and building resiliency.

With the help of trained volunteers, the association started operating a non-crisis phone line – called a warm line – last July and now offers the service three times a week: Wednesdays and Fridays from 4 to 8 p.m. and Saturdays from 1 to 5 p.m.

The line for anyone dealing with mental heath issues, such as grief, depression, anxiety and sadness, and provides shortterm emotional support and a plan for moving forward. The warm line number is 833-9276546.

The Shelburne County Mental Health and Wellness Association has secured funding through the Age Friendly Community Grant Program from the Nova Scotia Department of Seniors, to operate during 2020.

For more information about the association, visit their website (shelburnecountymentalhealth.com) or their Facebook page.