• 2019
To date, Access 24/7 has proudly handled:
Every year, one out of five Canadians experiences issues with their mental health. Unfortunately, accessing mental health support is out of reach for many, often due to a lack of knowledge about available services, financial restraints, or a perception that the system is overly complex.
Access 24/7 was created by consolidating close to 100 different programs and services into a single access point—available right on the Royal Alex’s campus. Acting as ‘one door’ for anyone requiring mental health and addiction support, the centre provides in-person assessments, crisis outreach and stabilization around the clock, every day of the year. Individuals can walk in, phone, or receive outreach. Support and guidance is provided for individuals and families navigating different Alberta Health Services (AHS) and community related services, including guidance from peer and family support workers, consultations with healthcare providers, information and referrals, as well as intervention and treatment.
“Albertans deserve the ability to access the services they need to help them recover and live healthy, productive lives. This one-of-a-kind site will make it easier to find and navigate addiction and mental health services that will support their long-term recovery. We will continue working with our partners to eliminate the barriers to recovery for every Alberta family.”
It seems the greater Edmonton area was set to benefit greatly from an all-encompassing, single point-of-access for mental health services. Within the first three months of operation, the Access 24/7 centre logged 18,000 calls and registered over 1,000 walk-in visits. Within the first year, nearly 20,000 clients had used the service, over 67,000 appointments were booked, and a staggering ~73,000 calls were received. The numbers don’t lie—this service changed and saved lives, providing much-needed support for those in our community addressing mental health concerns.
Access 24/7 exists because of the support of our donors and amazing community partners. A special thank you to Alberta Blue Cross, John Cameron Changing Lives Foundation, the RBC Foundation, the Rohit Group of Companies, The Stollery Charitable Foundation, the Edmonton Public Teachers’ Charity Trust Fund, the Edmonton TELUS Community Board, Canada Life, The Butler Family Foundation, everyone who donated to the #onedooryeg campaign, and of course our partners at the Mental Health Foundation.
