Richard Froese
South Peace News
Big Lakes County council wants the Alberta government to reopen the Youth Assessment Centre (YAC) – also known as the Campus-Based Treatment Centre in High Prairie.
The facility has been closed since it was damaged by fire in November 2023.
At its regular meeting Nov. 13, council approved sending a letter to Children and Family Services Minister Searle Turton demanding the centre reopen to meet the needs of the region.
Council approved the letter signed by Reeve Tyler Airth in collaboration with Alberta North Central Alliance that includes municipalities and Indigenous government from Big Lakes County in the west, the Slave Lake region and the Wabasca-Desmarais region northeast of Slave Lake.
“Our area desperately needs more support for at-risk youth, not less,” Airth writes.
“It’s reopening is crucial to ensuring that local youth receive the necessary support to thrive and build a healthier future.
“The YAC is essential in High Prairie due to its unique capacity to provide specialized care for youth facing significant mental health and behavioural challenges.”
The YAC was accredited to provide services for 12 youths and licensed for 16.
“Currently, there is no local public facility for youth who require high levels of care,” Airth writes.
Youth receive services in areas as far away as Edmonton and Lac La Biche.
“The centre addressed not only urgent needs but also helped to prevent the escalation of issues that could lead to crises or involvement with the justice system,” Airth writes.
“By facilitating access to tailored treatment, the YAC plays a pivotal role in fostering resilience and promoting positive outcomes for at-risk youth in the community.”
ANCA represents 40,000 rural Albertans and the five municipalities and four Indigenous governments work together to identify and advance vital regional interests with a strong unified voice, the letter says.
“One of the issues ANCA is advocating for is reopening the YAC in High Prairie,” Airth writes.
The centre was a provincially-run facility that provided top-tier care and specialized treatment for youth in the region who need more support than a traditional group home or foster home could provide.
People in the wider region value the YAC.
“As the only facility of its kind in the region, the YAC offered a critical resource for young people who require more intensive support than traditional group homes or foster care placements can provide,” Airth writes.