Earlier this month, Local MPP Trevor Jones recently met with Family Service Kent to commemorate the receipt of a $105,800 Resilient Communities Fund grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF).
This grant was awarded to support the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and enhance services for the Chatham-Kent community.
“Family Service Kent’s innovative approach, supported by the Ontario Trillium Foundation’s Resilient Communities Fund, not only addresses critical need for mental health support, but propels us toward a future where every individual can harness their potential,” Jones said, in a press release.
“By integrating skilled student supervisors and harnessing cutting-edge technology, they’ve not only increased the availability of counseling services but also elevated their quality. This endeavor exemplifies the power of collaboration and forward-thinking in building a stronger, more resilient Chatham-Kent community.”
The pandemic has significantly increased the demand for mental health support services, Family Service Kent officials say.
Therefore, agencies offering counseling and other mental health services have had to find innovative ways to meet the growing needs of the community.
Family Service Kent applied for the Ontario Trillium Foundation Resilient Communities Fund to provide a model for counseling that enhances the involvement of students in mental health services.
With the grant’s support, Family Service Kent hired an experienced Student Supervisor to work closely with students enrolled in psychotherapy programs, thereby strengthening the level of counseling service.
Apart from expanding the number of counselors, the funds from the Ontario Trillium Foundation were used to enhance and sustain the infrastructure of the counseling department at Family Service Kent.
This included providing new laptops for each counselor along with software that enhances the counseling experience, including client feedback.
These technological improvements also enable Family Service Kent to effectively and efficiently offer virtual counseling, thereby expanding the scope of their services.
“The staff at Family Service Kent, along with our clients and community members, are very grateful for the support from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, Resilient Communities Fund,” stated Allison Eaton, Manager of Counselling Services at Family Service Kent, in a media release.
“The community of Chatham-Kent has benefited and will continue to benefit immensely from this generous contribution.”
Dan Farrow, Executive Director of Family Service Kent, noted that the grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation significantly contributes to the well-being of the people of Chatham-Kent and aligns with their vision of providing every person in Chatham-Kent the opportunity to achieve their full potential.
The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF), an agency of the Government of Ontario, has been making a lasting impact in communities for 40 years.
OTF invested over $110 million in 1,022 community projects and partnerships last year, including funding for the Government of Ontario’s Community Building Fund. Visit otf.ca to learn more about their work.
