March 29, 2023
FORT McMURRAY — Alberta Health Services (AHS) is improving access to addiction and mental health services for children and youth in Fort McMurray and area with the creation of a new Child and Youth Multidisciplinary Intensive Treatment Service (MITS) team.
This community-based support team is focused on providing support for children and youth ages five to 18 who are experiencing complex mental illness and substance use disorders. This specialized team supports children/youth and their families within the community, as well as supporting children and youth admitted to hospital to help in their discharge and transition to home.
“We’re proud to support much-needed services for young Albertans, delivered right in the community. This is one more step in building comprehensive recovery-oriented systems of care in Alberta,” says Nicholas Milliken, Minister of Mental Health and Addiction. “Providing children, youth and their families with the supports and care they need, when they need it, creates an environment for them to succeed.”
The MITS team will provide intensive treatment and ongoing support to aid children/youth and their families in their recovery journey. The team will focus on managing the child/youth’s addiction and/or complex mental health needs with a goal of reducing the potential for relapse or readmission to hospital.
“This new multidisciplinary team will provide individual/group therapy and counselling, case management/navigation, medication management, and developmental supports as well as physical and recreational therapy,” says Thomas Kannumkulabil, Manager of AHS Addiction and Mental Health in Fort McMurray. “It’s a well-rounded team that works together to ensure a comprehensive care plan and successful outcomes for kids and their families.”
MITS for children and youth can be accessed by referral from the inpatient pediatric mental health unit or AHS community Child and Youth Addiction and Mental Health services.
Alberta Health Services is the provincial health authority responsible for planning and delivering health supports and services for more than four million adults and children living in Alberta. Our mission is to provide a patient-focused, quality health system that is accessible and sustainable for all Albertans. Our current focus is on reducing emergency department wait-times, improving EMS response times, increasing access to surgeries, and improving patient flow.
