Sarnia Refinery improves access to mental health support

More than 75 percent of mental health issues develop before a person turns 25, and yet many traditional services aren’t equipped to address the unique barriers that young people face when accessing mental health support. That’s why Imperial’s Sarnia site recently contributed a combined $75,000 to the ACCESS Open Minds centre, which will provide tailored and holistic mental health and addiction support to 12-25 year olds in the community. Bluewater Health Foundation Executive Director, Kathy Alexander says “we’re thrilled that Imperial has come out as the lead industry to support this project.”

“We advocate for the importance of mental health and recognize the importance of good mental health in our workforce. We’re pleased to play a role in addressing this critical need in the Sarnia area” says Imperial’s chemical plant manager, James Ritchie.

The community based ACCESS Open Minds centre is a collaborative model aimed at transforming how existing services are delivered in the Sarnia area, with a goal of improved access and engagement for youth and families seeking mental health and addictions care.