The Community Coming Together (CCT) Project is part of the provincial Mental Health Capacity Building
Initiative, which means that we are working toward teaching staff, students and families how to promote mental wellness in themselves and others. This is a project which is a joint venture between Alberta Health Services, Alberta Education, The Medicine Hat Catholic Board of Education, and various community partners. We have been in existence since 2008 and currently work out of Notre Dame Academy, St. Mary's and Monsignor McCoy schools. We are 1 of 37 such projects throughout Alberta and we aim to:
- develop and enhance collaborative practices among service providers in school settings
- reduce barriers to obtaining required services as well as decreasing the stigma related to mental health issues
- engage students, parents, project partners and community members in the development, implementation, and progress of their projects
- support easier access to services
- increase effectiveness while reducing the need for more intensive mental health and crisis services in the long-term
Community Coming Together embraces the opportunity to inform youth about mental health and to dispel many of the myths that surround mental illness. Together we can begin to help students and families start to identify various ways to manage stress and build resiliency. For more information about CCT, please visit our website.