Medicine Hat Family Service expands rural counselling across Cypress County
An outreach counsellor now travels daily to rural communities so residents no longer need to drive into Medicine Hat for support.
Why it matters
The low-cost, barrier-free counselling gives rural southern Alberta residents mental health support without the need to travel into Medicine Hat.
Medicine Hat Family Service has grown its rural counselling program to serve communities across Cypress County and Forty Mile County, including Redcliff, Irvine, Dunmore, Ralston, Foremost and Bow Island. Executive director Celina Symmonds told Cypress County council on Tuesday the program has expanded significantly since she first approached the county three years ago.
A master's-level psychologist working toward a PhD travels to different communities each day, offering one-on-one sessions in person, online or at another convenient location. Sessions cost as little as $8 an hour, with no income testing or referral required. Services include individual, couples and family counselling, group supports, and trauma-informed approaches such as EMDR and Accelerated Resolution Therapy.
Symmonds said the program will soon have a dedicated office at a newly built community centre and library in Irvine. She told council the response has exceeded expectations, and the organization is inviting other interested rural communities to reach out about joining the program.
The rural expansion is funded through Cypress County's Family and Community Support Services, with the goal of helping residents access mental health support close to home before problems escalate.
Compiled by the Alberta Daily Desk — an AI-written summary of reporting from the credited sources below, produced and reviewed under our editorial policy.