By Nicole Taylor | The World-Spectator
The Government of Saskatchewan is providing $200,000 in annual funding to Caring Hearts to expand its grief and trauma counselling services for residents across the province.
Caring Hearts is a community-based organization that provides a range of specialized support services for people experiencing grief and trauma due to situations such as the loss of a loved one to suicide.
Services include counselling; support groups; healing circles; kids camps; and support to communities affected by tragedies such as homicides, suicides and workplace deaths.
“It is crucial for people who are grieving and in distress to know that supports are available and that it is okay to reach out for help,” Moosomin-Montmartre MLA Kevin Weedmark said at the announcement on Thursday.
“Today’s expansion of grief and trauma counselling services at Caring Hearts makes it easier for Saskatchewan residents to access critical support when they may need it most.”
Approximately 75 per cent of Caring Hearts’ clients receive support in person and 25 per cent receive virtual support.
“Caring Hearts extends its sincere appreciation to the Government of Saskatchewan for this funding,” Caring Hearts Executive Director Keely Wight-Young said.
“With this investment, we will reduce wait times, respond more rapidly to critical, immediate needs, and continue delivering culturally informed care.
“Together, we are building a more resilient Saskatchewan, where healing can begin, and no one must face grief or trauma alone.”
Annual funding
MLA Weedmark said the investment comes at a time when many people are seeking mental health support.
“Today I am pleased to announce $200,000 in annual funding to Caring Hearts to expand its counselling services for individuals and families struggling with grief and trauma,” he said at the announcement Thursday.
“This service will be available to citizens across the province, in person in Regina and virtually across the rest of the province.
“People experiencing grief and trauma may be uncertain of where to go for psychological support. By expanding Caring Hearts, we want to make it easier for people to access the supports they need during difficult times.”
Weedmark said mental health remains a major provincial priority.
The government has budgeted $624 million for mental health and addictions in 2025–2026, including $487 million specifically for mental health services.
“We all know someone who has experienced trauma, loss and grief,” he said. “The effects reach far beyond the individual. I appreciate the work being done at Caring Hearts. This is very important work that truly does change lives for the better.”
Weedmark said he first learned about Caring Hearts during World Suicide Prevention Awareness Day in September.
“I knew nothing about Caring Hearts until September when I went to their World Suicide Prevention Awareness Day event,” he said.
“I was very impressed by their organization and I spoke with people who have benefited from their services at that event and explained to me just how important that was to them. I met with the group and with ministry officials over their funding application in October.
“They are providing a service that really isn’t provided anywhere else, so our government decided we could support them, and that support is immediate, within the current fiscal year.”
Weedmark said the province spends more than $600 million annually on mental health and addictions.
“Mental health and addictions are a priority,” he said.
“We really appreciate the work of groups like Caring Hearts, and in this case their application aligned with our goals so we were able to move the process forward fairly quickly.”
Funding will help
Keely Wight-Young, executive director of Caring Hearts, said the funding will help the organization respond more quickly to people who need support.
She said she was impressed with how quickly funding was provided, and was surprised to learn that the funding can be used immediately, in the current budget year.
“I want to express our deepest appreciation to the Saskatchewan Ministry of Health, Minister Lori Carr, and MLA Weedmark for their commitment to support grief and trauma services in our province,” she said.
“This investment means we can reduce wait times, provide barrier-free accessible counselling and better respond to critical and immediate needs.
“Unaddressed grief and trauma so often underlie mental health struggles, substance overuse and many other concerns.”
Wight-Young said Caring Hearts is the only organization in Saskatchewan dedicated exclusively to grief, loss, traumatic loss, and trauma support services and education.
The organization offers individual and family counselling, support groups, healing circles with a resident Elder, a therapeutic grief camp for children and youth, and outreach to communities and workplaces affected by tragedy.
“By expanding services we are strengthening the overall mental health of our communities,” she said. “This funding helps meet a critical service gap and ensures no one has to navigate grief and trauma alone.
“Those who reside outside of the city can access our services online or through telephone,” Wight-Young said. “In the past year alone, we have counselled over five hundred individuals and families. We hope to double that number over the next year.”
She said more people are reaching out for help as awareness grows and stigma decreases.
Caring Hearts is also preparing to introduce an online booking system to make access easier.
A fundraising event will take place on November 29, featuring comedian and mental health advocate Big Daddy Tazz, who is well known to audiences in the Moosomin area, with Megan Nash opening. Funds will support the organization’s biannual therapeutic grief and trauma camp for children and youth.
“Right now we are a small and mighty staff of three, but we will be able to hire two full-time counsellors with this funding,” Wight-Young said.
Lifeline for families
Caring Hearts has been a lifeline for many families, including Debbie West’s. She said her family turned to the organization after the death of their teenage son.
“My husband Rick and I lost our teenage son to suicide on Father’s Day 2024,” she said. “We immediately knew our family needed help. Caring Hearts called us back immediately and made arrangements for us to see a counsellor right away.”
West said the organization offered counselling, group therapy, and ongoing support.
“As soon as we entered Caring Hearts, we knew we had a safe space to express our grief,” she said. They provided immediate grief counselling to our entire family, and they continue to guide us in our ongoing healing journey. We found not only comfort and solace but friendship in a time of unimaginable pain.”
“Without their support, I am not sure how we would have survived. Kelly genuinely cared for us. Caring Hearts was there for us during the absolute worst time of our life, and for that we are forever grateful.”
How to access help
To book a session, call Caring Hearts at 306-523-2780 or email [email protected]. Visit www.caringheartssk.ca for details.
For information about other resources available for mental health and addictions, visit the Government of Saskatchewan website.
