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Prestigious honour for sexual health clinic
Mt. Baker Secondary School Wellness Clinic is the proud recipient of Options for Sexual Health’s 2017 BC Clinic of the Year award.
The Mt. Baker clinic launched in September of 2016 and was developed through the Cranbrook Schools Sexual Health Committee (CSSHC). The purpose of the clinic is to offer onsite support for teens on a variety of health topics, with a focus on holistic sexual health.
The success of the clinic would not have been possible without the diverse range of participants including: Options for Sexual Health, ANKORS East, Bellies to Babies, East Kootenay Addiction Services Society, School District No. 5, the Canadian Mental Health Association, and an Interior Health nurse practitioner, public health nurses, HIV outreach nurse, and pregnancy outreach nurse. The clinic could not have succeeded without the invaluable support from the Mt. Baker School staff and students, and Mt. Baker principal Viveka Johnson.
“Kudos to everyone who supported the clinic during its development and throughout the first year, and especially to those who have given countless numbers of years laying the groundwork that allowed for this great success. They have overcome great hurdles to grow sexual health education to where it is today in Cranbrook and surrounding area,” said Charlotte Spring, Public Health Nurse.
The CSSHC was formed in the mid-90s by a group of concerned citizens, with the central purpose of decreasing the rate of teen pregnancies in Cranbrook. Through years of hard work, research, networking, and writing proposals, they were able to see their goal come to fruition with the continual decrease in teen pregnancies. Throughout this time, they were also able to identify many other areas of sexual and reproductive health that were under supported in this community. Other successes include developing resources for the local school district, bringing renowned speakers to Cranbrook, developing Girls Retreats, and presenting at many professional development days and similar events.
Above photo: Viveka Johnson (MBSS Principal), Faye O’Neil (Aboriginal Ed. Support Worker), Theresa Bartraw (EKASS Education Coordinator); front row: Charlotte Spring (IH PHN), Pat Chisholm (IH Bellies to Babies RN), Polly Sutherland (ANKORS) and Linda Douglas (Options for Sexual Health Nurse). Photo submitted
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