In 2021, CASA Mental Health began a transformation, seeking to redefine mental health services for children, youth and families in Alberta. Through a series of meetings with over 50 organizations and more than 320 individuals, CASA's leaders developed a new roadmap for the future, aiming to address critical gaps in mental health care and to expand their reach throughout the province.
CASA Mental Health's CEO, Bonnie Blakley, joined CASA Mental Health in 2021 and is a key figure in this transformation. With a personal connection to the cause, having two children who experience mental health challenges, Bonnie's dedication to improving mental health services is deeply rooted in her own experiences.
"My husband and I have a blended family of seven kids, and two of our children live with mental illness. We've struggled to find the services they need,” she says. This personal experience motivated her to leave the private sector and relocate to Alberta, where she saw an opportunity to make a meaningful impact.
Blakley says that before CASA's formation in 1988, families in Northern Alberta had few options for mental health care. CASA was born out of a grassroots effort by parents and psychiatrists to fill this void. In the decades since, CASA has provided high-quality, community-based mental health services, focusing on wrap-around solutions that incorporate the entire family.
"CASA has been providing essential services for nearly 40 years, filling the missing middle between community-based care and hospital services," she says. "We're committed to preventing kids from needing hospitalization by providing the necessary interventions early on."
The new roadmap focuses on three key areas: leadership in mental health services, effective and relevant programming and financial stability. CASA aims to create a safe, diverse and inclusive workplace and become a nationally recognized learning and teaching organization. By providing culturally sensitive, trauma-informed care, CASA strives to deliver comprehensive wrap-around mental health services for children and their families.
CASA's expansion is a critical component of this vision. Traditionally serving Edmonton and Northern Alberta, CASA is now working with the Government of Alberta to expand provincially. This expansion includes increasing improvedaccess to services, enabling families to access support or seek referrals through schools, family doctors and Alberta Health Services. The available programs are aligned with Alberta’s system of recovery-oriented care.
"Our goal is to make mental health services accessible and integrated within the community, ensuring children and families can get the help they need without having to go to a hospital," Blakley says.
Looking to the future, Blakley is hopeful for a more inclusive and accessible mental health care system. "I have two grandbabies now, and I love that our work means they might not have to go through the same struggles as our kids did. Our aim is to provide interventions within the community, so families can receive the support they need without the stress of hospitalization."
Expansion into central Alberta and Red Deer specifically includes multiple CASA Classrooms and will also introduce a trauma program in the community.
As CASA Mental Health continues to grow and evolve, it remains committed to its mission of delivering child-centred, family-inclusive mental health services. By working closely with community partners and the Government of Alberta to expand its reach, CASA is poised to transform mental health care in Alberta, creating a brighter future for all families.
CASA Mental Health is looking for new faces to get involved. If you or someone you know is looking to make a difference in the lives of children and families in Alberta, new volunteers are encouraged to apply online at www.casamentalhealth.org/volunteer/ and donors are invited to visit casamentalhealth.org/give to help make this expansion possible.