Portapique among northern N.S. communities to benefit from more mental health services

Nova Scotia Health is expanding its services in the central part of the province, including the area around Portapique, where a deadly rampage started two years ago.

The province is looking for a community outreach worker to serve the area. It's a permanent position.

It follows a temporary measure that was put in place during the public hearings earlier this year into the events of April 2020, when 22 people were murdered.

Janah Fair, the northern zone director for mental health and addictions with Nova Scotia Health, said there was a clinical therapist in the primary care centre in Bass River during the public hearingsbecause it was expected the proceedings would stir up emotionsin the community. Bass River is the nearest larger centre to Portapique.

• CBC's full coverage of the inquiry into the Nova Scotia mass casualty

Fair said public consultations showed the need for more services in the area.

"Due to the significance and seriousness of the event, I think it's important that we pay special attention to the community," she said.

Position will have permanent funding

The clinical therapist was in Bass River once a week for the duration of the public hearings of the Mass Casualty Commission, which ended in September. Fair said the new position has permanent funding and will have a larger presence.

"It will be a community outreach worker position who is tied to outpatient mental health and addiction program," Fair said.

"But we'll be looking to find some shared space where we can actually support a presence in the community."

A common theme among the families of many of the shooting victims was their frustration at trying to access mental health services in the immediate aftermath of the events of that April weekend.

Fair said the plan is for community feedback to help shape the work of the person hired for the new position.

"We will collaborate with the community groups and the community members to talk about their specific needs and goals, and then measure based on what community needs are," Fair said.

"But overall my hope is for increased low-barrier access to things like assessment, screening, navigation and brief intervention."

Interviews for the job have begun.

Anyone struggling with mental health shouldcall 911 in an emergency, or the Nova Scotia24/7 toll-free crisis line at1-888-429-8167.