It’s something that has never been seen in Dryden or Machin.
Following five years of work and consultations, the Joint Advisory Committee has unveiled its first Community Safety and Well-Being Plan for the two municipalities.
Dryden’s Chief Administrative Officer Roger Nesbitt says, “It’s really an effort, the size of the effort, the number of agencies involved in the effort. It’s something that I haven’t seen really I think in this community. So, you folks are pioneers and I think it’s going to pay dividends as we move forward.”
He adds both communities are already seeing the benefits.
“Many of the partners have been able to learn about services and programs that are offered by other agencies within the communities. That seems to be a consistent theory when talking about the benefits already achieved from the planning efforts.”
The Committee consisted of a number of individuals from both the Dryden and Machin area involved in health, education, youth, police, as well as community and social services.
The four-year vision focuses on four pillars; Supporting Youth, Prevention/Education, Treatment and Social Development.
Dryden Councillor Shayne MacKinnon likes how the strategy aims to streamline mental health, addictions and treatment programs.
MacKinnon says, “The response by our communities often in the past, having been involved with the police service, the issues and challenges of the community really get laid at the feet of individual organizations a lot of times.”
He stresses, “I think a comprehensive plan like this, involving so many agencies, and rowing the boat in the same direction, should alleviate some of that problem in the future. I hope we see the fruits of that in the not so distant future.”
MacKinnon adds he’s very excited about the youth initiatives, especially with plans to better utilize the Youth Centre in Dryden.
The draft plan is being widely supported by Council members in Dryden and Machin, but still needs the final stamp of approval from both.
The strategy outlines a number of outcomes:
Inclusion and Community Engagement Committee:
1. Establishing a comprehensive community engagement plan
-Developing a robust engagement plan tailored to Community Safety and Well-Being Plan objectives.
-Greater representation from Indigenous and Youth community members.
-Community engagement agendas and activities will be designed with community members.
-Partner with researchers to identify or co-develop “metrics that matter” to our local communities, reflecting community-determined strategies.
-Strengthened bonds between community, service providers and institutions, leading to increased collaboration around priority issues.
2. Eliminating mental health and addiction stigma public education campaign
-Identify perception of mental health and addiction issues amongst community members.
-Develop an education campaign to address the stigma regarding mental health and addiction.
-Increase awareness of community members about the harmful effects of stigma for individuals living with a mental health and addiction illness by providing literacy campaigns aimed at reducing negative stereotypes.
3. Integrating cultural responsiveness into strategic decision making related to the Community Safety and Well-Being plan
-Identifying gaps in knowledge amongst Pillar Committee members regarding cultural responsiveness.
-Recommendations to address identified gaps in knowledge regarding cultural responsiveness amongst partnering government departments and community organizations will be shared.
-Identify service and program delivery approaches that have the capacity and flexibility to respond to the broader sociopolitical context and dynamics that shape daily realities for vulnerable populations.
Supporting Our Youth Committee
Short Term Goals:
1. Shared understanding of the gaps and barriers in current mental health and, addiction services as well as needs of youth opportunities for civic engagement.
2. Identified barriers to school attendance.
3. Establishment of the Youth Centre.
4. Increased youth awareness of recreation, arts, music, and cultural opportunities.
Intermediate Goals:
1. Improved process to connect youth to mental health and addiction services.
2. Improved youth sense of belonging to the community and youth sense of being accepted and valued in their community.
Long Term Goals:
1. Reduced wait time for youth mental health addiction services.
2. Reduced youth interactions with the police and court system.
3. Reduced youth substance abuse rates.
4. Seven out of ten steps towards a Youth Friendly City Designation complete.
Social Development Committee
Short Term Goals:
1. Committee that includes all those engaged in providing emergency food programs.
2. Committee of organizations who will provide support/services to shelter clients.
3. Working group to do a scan of local organizations that offer volunteer opportunities.
4. Seniors’ representation on existing Older Adults sub-committee.
Intermediate Goals:
1. Identification of gaps and opportunities for enhanced coordination of exisiting food access programs and funding sources to enhance exisiting programs and/or create new ones. Increased awareness among partners and populations in-need about available emergency food programs.
2. Clear pathways for health and social services/support for shelter clients. Campaign to raise awareness of the state of homelessness to increase community readiness prior to the opening of the shelter.
3. Environmental scan within Dryden and Machin that identifies organizations offering volunteer opportunities. Established methods to promote volunteer opportunities identified.
4. Coordination and promotion of activities for older adults to reduce isolation and increase safety (including arts, cultural, recreation activities and emergency preparedness).
Long Term Goals:
1. Capacity of existing emergency food access programs and/or new ones to service populations in-need.
2. Access to emergency housing (as per KDSB plan), coordination of services/support for those in need of emergency housing and community receptiveness and support for a shelter.
3. Awareness of opportunities to volunteer.
4. Opportunities to access activities that increase safety and reduce isolation among older adults and awareness of those activities.
Treatment Committee
Short Term Goals:
1. Shared understanding of the gaps and barriers in current mental health, addiction, and suicide responses as well as an ideal future state.
2. Established subcommittee to develop a mobile crisis team for Dryden and Area.
Intermediate Goals:
1. Development of a mental health, addictions, and crisis response database.
2. Establishment of a plan to address gaps and barriers that have been identified related to mental health, addiction, crisis, and suicide responses.
Long Term Goals
1. Implementation of a plan to address gaps and barriers that have been identified related to mental health, addiction, crisis, and suicide responses.
2. Reduced number of individuals experiencing mental health and addiction issues as well as in crisis coming into contact with police.
3. Increased percentage of populations that rate their mental health as “good”.
4. Decrease in the percentage of individuals 19+ who exceed low-risk alcohol drinking guidelines.
5. Decreased rate of emergency department visits for problematic substance abuse.
Prevention and Education Committee
Short Term Goals:
1. Shared understanding of the gaps and barriers in current mental health, addiction, crisis, and response to suicide as well as an ideal state between partners.
Intermediate Goals:
1. Establishment of additional crime prevention programs, educational campaigns for harm reduction services and victimization education.
2. Increased awareness of community members regarding the on-line directory, victimization/safety tips, safety planning, harmful behaviours and healthy lifestyles.
3. Increased number of proactive patrols and patrol time in high-risk areas.
4. Increase proportion of the population that feels safe in Dryden and Machin.
Long Term Goals:
1. Reduced rates/instances of criminal, abusive, and harmful behaviour.
Overall Community Safety and Well-Being Plan
1. Meaningful multi-sectoral collaboration enhancing service provision to community members with high risk factors.
-Enhanced communication and collaboration amongst the sectors, agencies, and organizations.
-Increased understanding of and focus on priority risks, vulnerable groups and neighbourhoods.
-Transformation of service delivery, including realignment of resources and responsibilities to better respond to priority risks and needs.
-More effective, seamless service delivery for individuals with complex needs.
-New opportunities to share multi-sectoral data and evidence to better understand the community through identifying trends, gaps, priorities, and successes.
-Reduced investment in and reliance on incident response.
2. Safe and healthy community members.
-Stronger families and improved opportunities for healthy child development.
-Healthier, more productive individuals that positively contribute to the community.
-Enhanced feelings of safety and being cared for, creating an environment that will encourage newcomers to the community.
3. Meaningful community engagement and inclusion that improve community safety and well-being.
-Increased engagement of community groups, residents and the private sector in local initiatives and networks.
-Increased awareness, coordination of and access to services for community members and vulnerable groups.
