The Alberta government plans to evaluate how it responded, and continues to respond, to the mental health needs of Fort McMurray wildfire evacuees.
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Alberta Health is hiring a consultant to evaluate its mental health efforts both during and after the massive fire, which forced approximately 90,000 people to flee from their homes in a single afternoon.
“The province is hiring a consultant to evaluate these efforts so that we learn from this disaster for the future, and so that we make sure the right mental health supports are in place for the people of Fort McMurray into the future,” Associate Minister of Health Brandy Payne said.
It says the response phase was meant to meet the immediate mental health needs of fire evacuees.
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“During this time, key activities included the coordination and distribution of communication materials, increased mental health supports in reception centres and host communities, and planning and development of psycho-social support for community re-entry,” reads a request for proposals from Alberta Health.
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Tyra Abo sits on a cot at a makeshift evacuee centre in Lac La Biche, Alberta on May 5, 2016, after fleeing forest fires north of Fort McMurray.
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Evacuees from the Fort McMurray wildfires collect donated necessities at the evacuation centre in Lac La Biche, Alta., Thursday, May 5, 2016.
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An evacuee from the Fort McMurray wildfires holds her dog as she looks through donated items at the evacuation centre in Lac la Biche, Alta., Thursday, May 5, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
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Evacuee from the Fort McMurray wildfires, Chance Jones, an employee of CNRL, talks on a cell phone while looking after his daughter at the evacuation centre in Lac la Biche, Alta., Thursday, May 5, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
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Marlee Hildebrandt and her daughter Oakley Hildebrandt, 2, clean cots at a makeshift evacuee centre in Lac La Biche, Alberta on May 5, 2016, after fleeing forest fires north of Fort McMurray.
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People use the Internet at a makeshift evacuee centre in Lac La Biche, Alberta, Canada, on May 5, 2016 after fleeing forest fires in Fort McMurray.
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Evacuees from the Fort McMurray wildfire sit outside at an evacuation centre in Lac la Biche, Alta., Saturday, May 7, 2016. Relief efforts for people affected by the Fort McMurray wildfire will be getting a $250,000 boost from the four Atlantic Provinces. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
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A displaced resident looks at the fire on their mobile phone at a makeshift evacuee centre in Lac La Biche, Alberta on May 5, 2016, after fleeing forest fires north of Fort McMurray.
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An evacuee from the Fort McMurray wildfire sleeps on chairs at the evacuation centre in Lac La Biche, Alta., Thursday, May 5, 2016.
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Evacuees from the Fort McMurray wildfires rest on a hockey rink at the evacuation centre in Lac la Biche, Alta., Thursday, May 5, 2016.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
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Evacuees from the Fort McMurray wildfires rest on a hockey rink at the evacuation centre in Lac la Biche, Alta., Thursday, May 5, 2016.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
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Evacuees from the Fort McMurray wildfires rest at the evacuation centre in Lac la Biche, Alta., Thursday, May 5, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
The project will examine how mental health services were activated and used, evaluate the response phase and determine whether there were gaps in coverage. It will also identify the infrastructure and resources needed to develop a provincial disaster psycho-social framework, identify targets that would result in positive mental health outcomes and identify unmet needs in both the response and recovery phase.
A spokesperson for Alberta Health said mental health support was given to more than 25,000 people in Fort McMurray as a result of the fire.
The project will cover the supports put in place by Alberta Health, Alberta Health Services, Alberta Education, Human Services, Corporate Human Resources, and Municipal Affairs.