By battlefordsNOW

Mental Health advocates honoured at annual gala

May 14, 2018 | 5:00 PM

North Battleford’s mental health champions were recognized over the weekend by Saskatchewan’s psychiatric nurses.

The Registered Psychiatric Nurses Association of Saskatchewan’s North Battleford branch honoured a number of outstanding people and organizations this year for their work as advocates of mental health. The ninth annual Champions of Mental Health dinner and awards ceremony was held Saturday at the Dekker Centre in North Battleford.

Lisa Chapman, a child and youth mental health social worker, took home the Mental Health Employee Award; Cindy How and the Ward 5 staff at Battlefords District Care Centre won the Mental Health Employee Award; volunteer Carol Johnson was honoured with the Community Champion Award; and Battlefords Publishing Ltd. was recognized with the Supportive Employer Award.

Presenter Lucy Bendall said Chapman was recognized for her outstanding work as a liaison helping local youths. Chapman is an expert at building rapport with her young clientele, Bendall said, and she has an extensive knowledge of services within the community which allows her to connect patients and their families with resources.

Cathy Watson presented Cindy How with the Mental Health Employee Award.

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How was recognized for using an integrated team-based approach to ensure residents have their psychological, psychiatric, social, medical, and environmental needs addressed. Watson said How has implemented excellent nursing care plans for residents, which allowed many to return to their home communities, which was “the goal of the ward from the beginning.”

Judy Lavoie introduced Carol Johnson at the event and highlighted some of her work in the community.

“I know she has helped many individuals to seek and to get help,” Lavoie said. “She has encouraged and walked with them through their journey, every step of the way.”

Lavoie said Johnson made it her mission to bring joy to those challenged by mental illness by giving her hand-crafted artistic quilts to clients both in the hospital and the wider community. She said Johnson has been involved in Meals on Wheels, volunteers at the hospital as a greeter, and also helps clients on their way to receive mental health services.

Another award recipient was Battlefords Publishing Ltd. The company received the Supportive Employer Award as a firm that employs a diverse cross-section of employees, including mental health clients.  

angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsNOW