The Supportive Outreach Services (SOS) Program is an inspiring example of the CSWB model coming to life in Strathcona County. In CSWB, new actions are often the result of partners coming together in new ways with the goal of building improved system alignment and a strong continuum of preventative and early intervention supports. For SOS, this involves collaboration between Family and Community Services (FCS), the RCMP and Strathcona County Enforcement Services to support youth and adults with complex needs in the Strathcona County community.

The program provides participants with comprehensive case management and mental health support like counselling, service navigation, mentorship and skill building. Perhaps most significantly, the program provides connection – to services and to natural supports like friends and family, and also the program builds new connections between the community partners that provide support to participants.

After launching in September 2023, the SOS program is working with approximately 35 participants, and is already seeing success and increased connections. For example:  

• In the adult stream, SOS team members often act as a bridge for participants by reconnecting them to services and systems that they have long since lost trust in, facilitating access to fulfill basic needs and mental health and addiction supports.  
   
• In the youth stream, SOS team members create a link between youth and the natural supports in their life and strengthen those connections by fostering understanding and empathy.   
   
• The program has built strong referral pathways from the program onset between partners (FCS, the RCMP and Enforcement Services), and is working with other Strathcona County services, resources and organizations to support participants' needs.   

Others are also seeing the value of this program in our community. For example, in November, Strathcona County School Resource Officers provided SOS with overwhelmingly positive feedback, sharing their appreciation of the program and the support it provides for youth in the community. While the program is in its early days, it is already capturing much valuable learning thanks to the ongoing evaluation built into the program approach.  As the SOS program continues its implementation journey, it has the tools in place to continue to learn and grow within Strathcona County and to increase the safety and well-being of participants.

For more information about the SOS Program please visit Supportive Outreach Services (SOS) | Strathcona County or contact Holly Reeve by email at Holly.Reeve@strathcona.ca or by phone at 780-271-5760