In the heart of Saskatchewan’s northern hub, a much-needed refuge for teenagers struggling with mental health challenges has finally opened its doors. After years of advocacy from parents and healthcare providers, Prince Albert’s first youth mental health group home welcomed its initial residents this spring.
The six-bed facility on 15th Street West doesn’t look remarkable from the outside – just another well-kept home on a quiet residential street. But for families like Melissa Sanderson’s, it represents a lifeline they’ve been desperately seeking.
“Before this opened, our options were basically to drive three hours to Saskatoon, wait in emergency for hours, or try to manage at home,” says Sanderson, whose 16-year-old daughter has struggled with anxiety and depression since age 13. “There was nothing in between crisis care and being on your own.”
The new home, operated by Prairie Northern Community Partners in collaboration with the Saskatchewan Health Authority, aims to fill that critical gap in services. It provides short-term residential support ranging from two weeks to three months for youth ages 13-17 experiencing moderate to severe mental health challenges.
What makes this model different is its focus on both stabilization and transition. Youth receive daily therapeutic programming while maintaining connections to their schools, friends, and families in Prince Albert. This approach represents a significant shift from traditional institutional settings.
Dr. Tamara Hinz, a child and adolescent psychiatrist who consulted on the project, explains why this community-based model matters: “These teens don’t need hospitalization, but they need more support than weekly outpatient therapy. This home creates that middle ground where they can learn coping skills in a real-world environment.”
Inside, the home feels deliberately non-clinical. Common areas feature comfortable furniture, nature-inspired art, and natural light. Each resident has a private bedroom they can personalize. A garden space out back will eventually include raised vegetable beds and a meditation area.
The programming blends evidence-based therapies with practical life skills. Mornings typically include individual or group therapy sessions, while afternoons might focus on cooking classes, art therapy, or outdoor activities. Evening hours include homework support and community integration.
“We’re not trying to create an artificial bubble,” explains Jason Kowal, the home’s program director. “We’re teaching skills these young people can immediately apply in their daily lives, with supports gradually decreasing as their capacity grows.”
The need for such services has grown increasingly urgent. According to the Saskatchewan Health Authority, emergency department visits for youth mental health concerns increased by nearly 40% between 2019 and 2022 in the province’s northern health zone. Suicide attempt rates among Indigenous youth remain significantly higher than provincial averages.
Elder Mary Morin, who serves as cultural advisor to the program, emphasizes the importance of incorporating Indigenous healing practices alongside Western approaches. “Many of our young people are disconnected from their cultural identities, which is part of what creates suffering,” she explains during a smudging ceremony in the home’s cultural room. “Healing happens when we address the whole person – mind, body, spirit, and community.”
The journey to establish the home wasn’t straightforward. Initial funding proposals were rejected twice before a partnership between the SHA, municipal government, and private donors finally secured the $1.2 million needed for building renovation and first-year operational costs.
Parent advocate Caroline Selkirk, who led fundraising efforts after her son’s struggles with bipolar disorder, believes the community-based approach makes financial sense. “It costs roughly $2,000 per day for a youth psychiatric hospital bed versus about $400 per day here,” she notes. “But the real savings come from preventing crises and building resilience early.”
Mental health professionals across Saskatchewan are watching the Prince Albert model closely. If successful, similar homes could open in other communities where youth mental health resources remain limited.
For teens like Sanderson’s daughter Emma, the group home provides something beyond clinical care – a sense of normalcy and belonging during a difficult time. “It doesn’t feel like a treatment center,” Emma shares during a community dinner at the home. “It feels like a place where people get what I’m going through without making a big deal about it. I can just be a teenager who’s working through stuff.”
Staff emphasize that family involvement is essential to the program’s success. Weekly family therapy sessions and regular home visits help ensure that progress continues after discharge. Parents also receive training on supporting their children’s mental health journey.
As the spring sun sets over Prince Albert, residents gather in the kitchen to prepare dinner together – a simple act that represents the home’s philosophy of healing through everyday connection. Tomorrow, most will attend their regular schools, maintaining those crucial community ties while returning to a supportive environment each evening.
“Mental health recovery isn’t linear,” reflects Kowal, watching the teens collaborate on a pasta dinner. “But having a safe harbor during the storm can make all the difference in where these young people end up. That’s what we’re trying to be – not the entire journey, just the bridge to something better.”
