Saskatchewan's first Integrated Youth Services Site opened its doors in Humboldt this afternoon inside of Partners Family Services
HOMEBASE will now allow young people aged 12 to 25 along with their caregivers to have access to resources, services and support at one location. They will have access to mental health and addictions services, physical health services, peer supports, education, employment and training supports. cultural and traditional supports. and social and community supports.
The HOMEBASE team within the John Howard Society of Saskatchewan are leading the implementation of the hubs across the province.
Executive Director for Partners Family Service Hailey Kennedy says the support that young people need will be found in one location.
“We’re bringing together service providers in health, education, employment, mental health and substance use, to deliver culturally appropriate holistic services to people right here in our own community.”
Kennedy continued, “HOMEBASE is the culmination of the dedication of youth, caregivers, and service providers to ensure every young person in our community has a safe place.”
Humboldt will be one of four sites for HOMEBASE. Hubs in Regina and Moose Jaw will become operational in the coming weeks, with a fourth location in Sturgeon Lake opening in the future.
Director of Integrated Youth Services Pam Reimer says they receive consultation from youth across the province to help create Homebase.
“We have 17 youth across the province, not just in our four communities, but in a variety of communities that actually have helped us direct which ways and how we were hoping to build out what HOMEBASE looked like, what it felt like and what HOMEBASE would mean to our youth.”
Reimer added “We are also talking about the work we want to do in a preventative and early intervention phase, we’re looking at how we can integrate existing and new services that youth might need.”
The Saskatchewan Government will be providing $3.4 million in funding to HOMEBASE for development and operations.
Humboldt-Watrous MLA Donna Harpauer spoke on behalf of Mental Health and Addictions Minister Tim McLeod for Thursday’s grand opening and is thrilled to see HOMEBASE to youth in the region.
“Our government wants to make it easier for our young people to get the supports and services they are looking for in one location. HOMEBASE Integrated Youth Services is an innovative step towards that plan to reach the goal of connecting youth with the right services, in the right place, at the right time. Offering these services will make a difference to these young people who need access to professional supports and the benefits will be felt across our communities.”
More information about HOMEBASE Integrated Youth Services can be found at homebasesask.ca.