Recovery advocate and Come Together Keynote speaker Chad Tibbles
Residents looking for help with mental health, addictions, housing, homelessness, justice services or social supports will have a chance to connect face-to-face with local organizations during Come Together Northumberland next month.
The free event takes place Friday, May 8 from 9 am to 3 p.m. at the Cobourg Community Centre and will bring together more than 35 organizations from across Northumberland County.
Hosted during Mental Health Week, the event is designed to help people better understand what services exist locally and how those services work together.
Lindsay Henderson with the Ontario Health Team of Northumberland says one of the biggest challenges for residents is not always the lack of services – it is knowing where to begin.
She says programs, referral pathways and services are constantly changing, making it difficult for people to know where to turn, even if they have sought help before.
Come Together Northumberland aims to simplify that process.
Organizations attending include CMHA HKPR, Northumberland County Social Services, Northumberland Family Health Team, homelessness supports, justice services, addiction services and many others working across the mental health and wellness system.
Recovery advocate Chad Tibbles will serve as keynote speaker, sharing his own lived experience with addiction, homelessness and rebuilding his life.
Tibbles says people struggling with addiction are too often treated like criminals instead of people dealing with illness and trauma.
Residents can also submit questions in advance for the speaker panel and find a full list of participating organizations here.
Organizers say the goal is simple: make it easier for people to find help before they reach a crisis point.
(Written by: Joseph Goden)
