Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter
The Minister responsible for Social Services, Lionel Carmant, as well as the session chair and Member of Parliament for Anjou-Louis-Riel Karine Boivin Roy, held the official inauguration of the Kirkland “Open Air” youth drop in centre in the West Island of Montreal last week.
Located at 2820 Saint-Charles Blvd. in Kirkland, the drop-in centre houses a network of integrated services for young people aged 12 to 25. It was developed in collaboration with young people in the community, families and partners in order to meet the needs of the clientele it serves.
The drop in centre is equipped to receive youth seeking mental health services, in particular. Youth can also find support concerning a wide range of issues that may affect all areas of their lives.
The $40 million Open Air project is one of the measures that are an integral part of the 2022-2026 Inter-ministerial Mental Health Action Plan.
According to Carmant, by 2026, the (CISSS or CIUSSS) expects to have 27 of the 80-90 planned centres for the province on its territory.
Currently, 24 establishments offer services throughout the province, of which 22 service points are officially open.
Carmant advocates on the importance of local accessible services for youth.
“Speaking to youth, they often say that when they knock on a door for help and there is no response, they don’t go back,” Carmant told The Suburban.
For Carmant, the participation of youth in the creation of the project was key to manifesting an environment that answers their actual needs in a way that is familiar and recognizable to them. “The concept was created by youth for youth on every account from choice of services right down to the décor.”
Youth services are normally geared towards pre-teens and teens aged 12-18, however the new Open Air centres offer services for youth until age 25.
“Youth fall between the cracks between 18-25. This is why it is important to assure a continuum of service until 25 years of age,” Carmant explained.
This new centre offers the services of a general practitioner directly on site.
The realization of the Kirkland centre was made possible as a result of a collaborative effort between Carrefour Jeunesse Emploi de l’Ouest-de-l’Île, the YMCA and the surrounding school network (school boards and CEGEPs).
This site also benefited from a generous vehicle donation, which allows team members to expand their awareness activities and provide assistance to young people in need of transportation.
“This is a magnificent project that will allow young people in Kirkland and the surrounding area to benefit from a range of free and confidential services. I am proud to see this great team, made up of workers who will be able to listen to young people and help them, regardless of their concerns or their needs, settle in the region. I would like to thank all the partners as well as all the young people who have worked hard over the last few months to implement such a unifying project for the community,” Karine Boivin Roy, MP for Anjou-Louis-Riel, said. n