Wood’s Homes

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2012 – What a year!
ROYAL CONGRATULATIONS – We were delighted to receive an early letter from Buckingham Palace
congratulating us on our 100th anniversary in 2014. Queen Elizabeth was “pleased to hear about the
successful evolution of your agency from such humble beginnings” and was “excited to hear from one of
the oldest charities in Alberta.” Governor General David Johnston also sent an early message, thanking
“everyone for their tireless work to make the community a better place for all.”
CHIEF OFFERS PRAISE – Calgary Police Chief Rick Hanson
praised our “amazing work” during his address at our Annual
General Meeting. He said: “We don’t need to be building
better security bars on our windows, we need to look closer at
the risk factors for people evolving into a life of crime. Chief
Hanson stressed that early intervention is the key to helping
move at-risk young people toward a better way of life.
PREMIER AWARDS OUR CLIENT – A former client of our
EXIT Community Outreach program received a Diamond
Jubilee Award from Premier Alison Redford. The client
won the award via Advancing Futures, a funding body for
students. She was recognized for her volunteer contributions
and achievements.
PRINCIPALS CANADA’S BEST! – Mike McMahon of
Children’s Village School and Charlotte Arbuckle (formerly)
of William Taylor Learning Centre were named two of Canada’s Most Outstanding Principals. They are
among five principals in Calgary and 51 from across Canada nominated by their peers and staff.
A BUZZ DOWN UNDER – Staff at Eastside Family Centre (EFC) presented at a conference in Australia,
sharing information about our family-centred walk-in therapy services at EFC - the first service of its
kind in Canada.
HERALD CHRISTMAS FUND – As the recipient of the 2012 Calgary Herald Christmas Fund, we were
thrilled to accept a cheque for $126,282.65. We thank the newspaper and all of the generous donors. The
funds have been applied to addictions counselling for youth at EXIT (the only downtown counselling
service for homeless youth in Calgary).
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A Look at Mental Health
Mental health treatment has come a long way from the early days when those who were deemed
‘not normal’ or suffering from ‘mental abnormalities’ were either institutionalized or imprisoned.
Society did not have answers to helping those challenged with depression, anxiety, schizophrenia,
bi-polar disorder, etc.
And although there is no cure for mental illness, decades of research tell us that:
1.With the right combination of services, treatments and supports, many people living with even the most
severe mental illness can experience significant improvements in symptoms and quality of life.
2. The earlier an intervention, the more likely a child will return to positive mental health.
3. Programs that help people access treatment early, or help them stay out of hospital or out of the criminal
justice system, are cost-effective.
4. Working with the family as a whole is the most effective approach to ensuring the safety of a child or
young person and encouraging permanency and well-being is to provide services that engage, involve,
strengthen, and support all family members.
The World Health Organization reports that by 2020,
depression will be the second leading cause of
‘disability-adjusted life years’ for all ages and both sexes
(second to heart disease).
Although we have come far in our research and outcomes, stigma remains a concern. The importance of
good mental health is gaining attention, but much more work needs to be done to remove the stigma which
often leads to treatment barriers. Sadly, two out of three people with a diagnosable mental disorder in
Canada do not seek or receive care. Many factors influence the low utilization of services, but these include
the stigma involved in seeking help, availability and accessibility of needed treatment.
We know that children who suffer maltreatment
and mental health problems are at life-long risk and a
significant proportion do not receive help.
For more information about mental health, please visit us at www.woodshomes.ca
CEO WINS AWARD – Dr. Jane Matheson was the recipient of the $25,000 Westbury Legacy Award,
which recognizes Albertans who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to the academic and/or
professional growth of individuals working in the areas of child, family and community research. This
award will be used by the Research Department and also to help in our plan to launch a Research Chair
in Children’s Mental Health.
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