The Medicine Hat Recovery College will offer courses in-person and online. Yuri Arcurs/Dreamstime.com

By Eli J. Ridder

HEALTH CARE

Alberta’s free mental health college initiative expanding to Medicine Hat

Feb 21, 2025 | 1:14 PM

An Alberta program offering free mental health care courses is set to expand to Medicine Hat.

Medicine Hat Family Service, in partnership with the Alberta division of the Canadian Mental Health Association and the Centre for Suicide Prevention, will formally open the Medicine Hat Recovery College on March 4.

The courses aim to provide early access to mental health supports through a range of courses that help develop resiliency, wellness, connection, belonging and hope, according to the mental health association.

A peer approach is used to connect people with shared experiences to create more authentic support, with the college’s focused more on strengths and possibilities instead of problems and deficits.

While recovery college courses have been available online for over a year, the expansion announced Friday will increase accessibility with both in-person and online options offered within the community, officials said.

Nighttime construction on Hwy 3 in Lethbridge starts April 17

Apr 17, 2025

SASHA launches #BuyABed fundraiser to support vulnerable Lethbridge residents

Apr 04, 2025

$20K grants available: TELUS STORYHIVE Pan-Asian Edition opens applications April 1

Mar 18, 2025

Cypress-Medicine Hat MLA Justin Wright said the courses will have a positive impact.

“Nobody who is dealing with mental illness or addiction should be left wondering how to get help, and I am confident the recovery college will play an important role in many peoples lives,” Wright said in a statement.

Ninety-two per cent of respondents said in a 2023-24 poll that they felt more hopeful about the future after attending a recovery college.

The survey also revealed 62 per cent of respondents said they learned how to address challenges before they became a crisis.

Others said they were more able to engage in their community and felt “a greater sense of belonging” after attending a college.

The Alberta government has invested $3.6 million to support recovery colleges across various cities across the province, including Medicine Hat, Lethbridge and Red Deer.

Danielle Smith, premier and MLA for Brooks-Medicine Hat, said she was “so glad” to see Medicine Hat get its own fully operational recovery college.

“Recovery colleges are an excellent resource to support Albertans in their pursuit of recovery as they provide free, recovery-focused mental health services,” Smith said.

“I want to thank all our partners, professionals and those with lived experiences that have made this project possible.”

The recovery college mode was tested through a three-year pilot before launching in 2021.

For local news delivered daily to your email inbox, subscribe for free to the Lethbridge News Now newsletter here. You can also download the Lethbridge News Now mobile app in the Google Play and the Apple App Stores.