A new $39 million mental health facility in Calgary's northwest will be accessible for Calgary and the surrounding area, including Airdrie.

The Summit: Marian & Jim Sinneave Centre for Youth Resilience opened its doors to children, teenagers and families on Monday, March 13. The new facility will have a net-new capacity of around 8,000 patients and families annually.

Healthcare teams will offer three mental health services under one roof for people up to and including 18 years of age, with the goal of reducing the incidence of mental health crises through early intervention and effective treatment.

“Just as physical health issues rely on experts to fix and heal, mental health challenges require the specialized skills of psychiatrists, psychologists and therapists,” says Jason Copping, Minister of Health. “The urgent and intensive care The Summit will offer provides children and teens with expertise and an environment tailored for them to succeed.”

The Summit will receive $10 million annually from the Alberta government if Budget 2023 is approved in order to provide a variety of treatment and intervention programs to children and youth who are struggling with mental health issues.

The Alberta Children's Hospital Foundation (ACHF) and Alberta Health Services (AHS) collaborated to create The Summit. The foundation contributed more than $50 million to pay for the center's development as well as cutting-edge programs and research upgrades.

The new institution will not offer overnight stays as part of its care services. The Alberta Children's Hospital will continue to provide medical care to patients who are admitted.

“All of us should be treating mental wellness as we would physical health. People being challenged by mental health issues is a natural part of life, and we need to come together as a community and as partners to openly help individuals and families. This facility exemplifies that and will help more Albertans get the care they need when they need it,” explained Dr. John Cowell, official administrator, of Alberta Health Services.

The Summit will partner with community agencies that will run specialized clinics from the centre.

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