The Mental Wellness and Healing division provides a continuum of services that target individuals, families, groups and communities with mental health/mental illness-related issues and substance use, gambling and smoking issues or those who have been identified as at-risk or vulnerable to developing these issues. Individuals can access the services by self-referral or by a third-party referral.

The program components area: a. promotion, prevention, education and community supportive services; b. intervention (counseling) services and c. specialized services. The program’s responsibilities have expanded to include Youth Services, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) program, Inuit Child First Initiative, Justice Services and other special projects that have term funding (examples: Sexual Violence Program, Harm Reduction Specialist Services.

Mental Health & Addictions Services

1). Mental Health & Addictions Programming

For more information regarding mental health and addictions programs and FASD services, please contact Mental Health & Addictions Interim Manager, April Andersen at 896-0692

Mental Health & Addictions Program

Mental Health and Addictions workers are located in each community and offer a wide range of services that target individuals, families, groups and communities with mental health/mental illness-related issues and substance use, gambling and smoking issues or those who have been identified as at-risk or vulnerable to developing these issues. Services include health promotion education, facilitation of supportive groups and spaces, land-based programming, as well as individual and group supportive counselling services.

FASD Coordinator Services

Coordinates referrals for FASD assessments and services as well as regional programming and awareness around Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). Information on FASD and full day FASD presentation is available upon request.

2). Mental Health Specialist Services

For more information on mental health specialist services please contact Director of Mental Wellness & Healing, Laurie Russell at (709)896-0709

Harm Reduction Specialist Services

Provide a range of Harm Reduction services across the region addressing problematic substance use and other harmful behaviors. This role will engage community members, partners and regional staff in the development of health promotion messaging, programming and individual and group interventions that focus on reducing the harms related to substance use and other problematic behaviors.
Develop and deliver regional trainings to increase the capacity and understanding of the need and context of service delivery. This role is also responsible to provide individual clinical services and interventions as well as collaboration with internal and external partners.

Child & Youth Mental Health Clinical Services

A team of professionals that lead the development, implementation, and monitoring of interventions centered on strengthening child and family mental wellness. This team provides clinical mental health services to children/youth in individual, family, and/or group contexts. Liaisons and collaborates with pertinent specialists and knowledge holders to incorporate best and promising clinical practices with cultural and community wisdom. Collaborates with and support community and regional service providers in delivering programs and services for children and youth mental health.

3). Trauma & Addictions Mobile Treatment Team

For more information on Trauma and addictions programs, please contact Team Lead, April Andersen at (709) 896-0692

The trauma & addictions team is responsible for the development and delivery of community clinical trauma and addiction programs within Nunatsiavut communities and Upper Lake Melville. The development of programming is done in a manner where each community is consulted and programs are tailored to the needs in real time.
Residential School Survivor Support Coordinator provides support to Inuit Survivors of the Labrador Residential Schools and their families, in accordance with the recommendations provided by Survivors.

Inuit Child First Initiative

For more information on Inuit Child First Initiative, please contact Child Services Manager, Dolores Flowers at (709) 947-3328 ext: 268

Child Services Program

Assist families in navigating and accessing sources of funding and support for their child’s medical, mental health, and educational needs; Preparing families for meetings concerning their child’s medical, mental health, and educational needs (including preparation and support for those who must leave community to receive specialist care); Implementing care plans recommended by medical, mental health, and educational specialists.

Inuit Child First Initiative

Inuit Child First Initiative is similar to Jordan’s Principal in that it strives to address unmet needs of Inuit children, ensuring equal access to health and educational services and supports.  Such access would include culturally relevant services that are in the best interest of Inuit children.

Justice Services

For more information on justice services, please contact Justice Services Manager Erin Broomfield (709) 896-2285

Service Coordination & Referrals

Provide support for anything Justice related and offer in-reach to inmates at correctional institutions, as well as coordinating services for those identified as at-risk for criminal justice involvement or currently involved in the justice system.
Sexual Violence Prevention & Outreach Counselling
Provides counselling services to individuals with sexual offenses, either self-referred or through probations, parole or classification officers. Deliver and develop programming and training for community, staff and partners (ie. responding to disclosures of sexual violence and strategies for working with individuals with sexual offenses; prevention work to involve healthy relationship education, etc..)

Prison Liaison
Assist clients of the Labrador Correctional Center (LCC) to connect with family, community and services in their home community. Bridge gaps between LCC staff and Inuit beneficiaries (e.g. helping inmates to understand LCC roles and services offered). Support LCC inmates to problem solve issues arising in LCC. This individual also facilitates groups such as Mental Health Support Groups and Traditional Skills training.

Youth Services

For more information on youth services, please contact Youth Services Manager Kim Oliver at (709) 922-1093

Community Shed Programming

The Community Shed programming is meant to prepare, enable, and empower community members through engaging them in hands-on learning opportunities for employment-pertinent skills of carpentry and small engine mechanics, promoting education, skill building and confidence building opportunities within community.

Nain Youth Center

Is meant to provide a safe and secure environment for youth ages 13-30, should they require this support. This program strives to foster healthy relationships and positive connections in the community, with each other and with youth services staff.  The building of life skills is also a priority of the youth center.

Youth Outreach

Youth outreach workers are located in Nain and Hopedale and provide outreach services to children and youth who may be at risk for or who are engaging in risky behaviour. Youth outreach workers are a part of a multidisciplinary team, providing frontline services to youth in both individual and group settings.  The goal is to assist in meeting the basic needs of youth, which includes connecting them to services that provide food, shelter, social connections, etc.

Youth Administrator

The Youth Administrator supports youth engagement and development initiatives such as community, regional and national youth events, programs, trainings, educational, and employment opportunities, and cultural and traditional knowledge-and-skill-building.