A detailed presentation was given by the Canadian Mental Health Association at Wednesday’s Thompson Chamber of Commerce meeting.

The presentation was, in part, about their Psychosocial Rehabilitation Program, which was a joint venture with the Northern Region Health Authority beginning last November. The program seeks to help people with mental illness in all aspects of recovery, from housing and employment to education and socialization.

Katherine Pohjolainen, the CMHA’s Education and Training Program Coordinator, spoke about the program to those in attendance.

“It’s a step-by-step process directed by the participant, and the worker is there to support them and empower them. It’s not like a therapy session where they come in and talk about everything and vent, it’s actively working on recovery. So we don’t do things for them, we empower them to do them for themselves.”

Future priorities for the CMHA are working with businesses to establish psychological health and safety workplace standards, certifying their staff as psychological health and safety advisors at a course in Vancouver later this month, and Thompson’s upcoming Point-in-Time count.