News Releases

June 22, 2021

Previous investments in trauma supports at Klinic Community Health Centre and The Laurel Centre and the creation of newcomer trauma teams for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are showing positive results and are helping make life better for Manitobans living with the disorder, Mental Health, Wellness and Recovery Minister Audrey Gordon announced today during Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Month.
 
“Post-traumatic stress disorder negatively affects the lives and the mental health of many Manitobans,” said Gordon. “The staff at Klinic, The Laurel Centre and the organizations involved in the newcomer trauma teams are ensuring more Manitobans living with PTSD have timely access to the trauma counselling and other mental health and addictions services that are essential to the healing and recovery process.”
 
In November 2019, the government invested more than $2.4 million to expand the trauma services at Klinic and The Laurel Centre. An additional $2.1 million was invested in June 2020 to create collaborative and interdisciplinary, community-based newcomer trauma teams, led by Aurora Family Therapy Centre.
 
First launched in January 2019, Klinic’s trauma counselling program is a key part of critical post trauma response programming in Manitoba and available to anyone over 18 who has experienced trauma. Klinic continues to increase access to trauma counselling and expand options provincially including virtual options.
 
“Trauma can have a significant impact on every aspect of a person’s life in ways that may be very debilitating,” said Nicole Chammartin, executive director of Klinic Community Health Centre. “Klinic’s post-trauma counselling services helps those impacted by trauma understand that it is not about what is wrong with them, it is about what has happened to them, and that there are paths to reducing the hold of past trauma and living more fully today.”
 
Since December 2019, Laurel Centre has admitted 153 people into long-term therapy and decreased the average wait by 30 per cent for people who identify as female and by 50 per cent for people who identify as male.
 
“Trauma experienced in childhood affects a persons mental health, their sense of safety, their ability to cope with daily challenges, their ability to trust and form healthy relationships” said Heather Leeman, executive director, The Laurel Centre. “Trauma-focused services, such as those provided by The Laurel Centre, help survivors to gain a sense of control over their lives and equips them with the resources they need to resolve the impact the trauma has had on all aspects of their lives.”
 
Since April 2021, the newcomer trauma teams have had more than 100 referrals for service and 55 individuals from more than 20 different countries have registered for the program. All participants are receiving services in their first language or language of choice without the need for interpreters, which has helped clients feel more comfortable in accessing care.
 
“The Newcomer Collaborative Community Mental Health Service is addressing a long-standing gap for culturally appropriate mental health supports for newcomers who experience PTSD,” said Abdikheir Ahmed, executive director, Aurora Family Therapy Centre. “The unique partnership with ethnocultural communities and formal mainstream mental health services has allowed us to facilitate opportunities for traditional healing practices to inform how we address the mental health needs of our diverse newcomers.”

The minister noted the funding for these programs supports the implementation of a recommendation made in the VIRGO report, which was to enhance and accelerate support for people experiencing sexual and other significant trauma.
 
For more information on the services available, visit https://klinic.mb.ca/, www.thelaurelcentre.com/home/ and www.aurorafamilytherapy.com/.

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