Connecting our community with mental wellness resources

Congratulations to the Pembina Trails Inclusive Support Services Team for hosting a very successful Mental Wellness and Well-Becoming Resource Fair on Nov. 25. Almost 200 parents from the Pembina Trails community took part in the evening dedicated to supporting families, students and educators by connecting them with mental wellness resources in our city. Special guest speaker Dr. S. Trepel also gave a riveting presentation on the effects of device use on children and youth.

Numerous community mental health agencies were in attendance to provide information about local mental health services that are available for children and youth in our community including:

• Futures Forward  
• Mood Disorders Association of Manitoba  
• Sara Riel  
• Family Dynamics  
• VOICES: Manitoba’s Youth in Care Network  
• Newcomers Employment & Education Development Services (NEEDS) 
• Mosaic Newcomer Family Resource Network  
• Canadian Centre for Child Protection - Samantha Falk, and Anika Rahman 
• Project 11  
• Manitoba Advocate for Children and Youth (MACY)  
• Toba Centre for Children and Youth  
• Anxiety Disorders Association of Manitoba (ADAM)  
• Klinic Community Health Centre -  
• The Link: Youth and Family Supports  
• Aulneau Renewal Centre  
• Pembina Trails Connect Parent Program  

Dr. Simon Trepel, a child and youth psychiatrist from Shared Health ended the evening with a powerful keynote entitled: Left to Our Own Devices: How Digital Media is Affecting Us. Dr. Trepel’s presentation included a look at the effects of device use on children and youth and he provided tips for parents on how to minimize these negative effects. If you would like a copy of Dr. Trepel’s presentation, please reach out to Jessica Warnett at jwarnett@pembinatrails.ca