Free counselling for children and youth launches in Moose Jaw

Free counselling for children in Moose Jaw WATCH: A funding announcement in Moose Jaw aims to provide better access to counselling for youth. Anhelina Ihnativ reports.

Moose Jaw has launched free access to counselling for children and youth, which is part of the provincial government’s $1.7 million yearly funding to Family Services Saskatchewan.

The additional funding will allow a committed counselor to provide 20-25 sessions per week.

"[This will] make impacts quickly so that the families are doing better in a smaller period of time," said Tara Jones, executive director of Moose Jaw Family Services.

"Free rapid access counseling that's currently available to adults in 24 communities across Saskatchewan and we are expanding that to 13 of those 24 communities this year," said Tim McLeod, mental health and addictions minister.

Services will be offered in person, online, or through phone calls. Counseling is free and does not require any specific requirements.

"Our goal is to deal with mild or moderate cases, hoping that we'll get people in quicker and sooner," Jones said.

"Time is of the essence and so we're very excited that this service can be offered in a timely manner to children and youth," McLeod said.

The aim is to help families and children get help in time without putting additional obstacles in the way.