As our primary mission of the SFU SAFE Community Clinical Counselling program, Masters in Counselling Psychology students, under an experienced SFU Counsellor-Supervisor faculty member, provide one-to-one and family counselling for Surrey children, youth, and caregivers at no-cost (thanks to funding by City of Surrey). Counselling sessions are designed to address challenges and reduce risk while enhancing empowerment, resilience, and overall mental health for participants.

The program also provides:

• Development and Facilitation of Groups for Youth (i.e. Stop Exploiting Youth (SEY) support and skill-building group for female youth being exploited - Pacific Community Resources Society and SFU joint project)
• Development and Facilitation of Groups for Youth (i.e. Empower Surrey Anti-Gang Parenting workshops w/ City of Surrey, RCMP, Surrey School District, and Options)
• Customized Training to build organizational capacity and address staff knowledge and skills gaps (i.e. Trauma Informed Practice to student volunteer mentors working w/ Refugees from Conflict Zones — Ukraine and Syria (SFU Surrey - TD Community Engagement Centre), Trauma Informed training of City of Surrey Parks & Recreation staff. Presentations on Special Topics including but not limited to: Youth Violence/Anti-Gang, Equity-seeking populations (Multicultural/Indigenous, Immigrants/Refugees, Neurodiverse, Concurrent Disorders), Clinical Supervision, Integrated Case Management/Collaborative Care, Mental Health Service Change & Innovation)
• Consultation/Supervision - (i.e. Group and Individual) for leaders, staff, volunteers, practicum students (at SFU and elsewhere), such as the Program Development & Evaluation/Mental Health Service Research and Conferences/Events — pairing SFU Researchers, Students and other community experts with community service organizations and potential funding pathways to develop and enhance projects that are likely to make an impact on the community, especially for under-researched, equity-seeking populations. (i.e. upcoming November 2024 Research Conference at SFU, 2023 Cross-Cultural Mental Health Research and Practice Forum sponsored by CAMH (Centre for Addictions and Mental Health), Moving Forward Family Services at SFU)

Location: Services are provided Monday to Friday at SFU Surrey’s Community Counselling Clinic and Online via a secure virtual care platform.

SAFE prioritizes referrals who:

• Are youth and families at-risk of, actively involved in, or targeted, by gang or related criminal behaviour;
• Reside in Surrey;
• Have moderate or higher level of mental health severity, risk, and/or substance use needs;
• Are involved/identified/in need of multiple supports (MCFD/CYMH, Fraser Health, School District, community agencies).

TO REFER

Please fill out this secure online form instead of emailing.

We prioritize referrals from professionals/community services/government agencies, especially those that are part of CHART and/or SAFE, and on a more limited basis, directly from clients and their families (self-referral). All cases are considered on a case-by-case, triaged basis (severity and fit), and may be subject to waitlists.

When space is available

As part of our secondary mission to develop the capacity and support for those who work with vulnerable youth and families, we may also provide to SAFE/CHART community service agency/non-profit (staff, volunteers, and practicum students) the following at no or low-cost/sliding scale (availability subject to space, funding, and other factors). Some of these services may be delivered by external partners and may be outside of the typical operating hours and at various locations. Please contact us directly at safeadm@sfu.ca to discuss.

Counselling

(Provided by a Masters in Counselling Psychology Practicum student or referred to the SFU SAFE Practitioner-Instructor/Clinician or other trusted service provider)

Only for those who do not have counselling benefits through extended health benefits insurance plans and/or are not covered by other means. We do NOT provide counselling to SFU students, Faculty or Staff.

Clinical Supervision & Critical Incident Stress Management/Debriefing — Individual and/or Group

(Available through the SFU SAFE Practitioner-Instructor/Clinician approved supervisor with 10 years experience post-Masters as a Counsellor part of a professional counselling association, 5 years as a Clinical supervisor and faculty member in a Counselling Psychology Graduate program, and a trained Crisis Intervention Responder Group and Individual Facilitator)

The expectation is that if a supervisee does have extended health benefits, supervision sessions will be paid by the supervisee, then the supervisee will be issued a receipt for a Counselling session for which they may submit to their insurer for possible reimbursement.

Employers may also negotiate packages of Clinical Supervision, Critical Incident Stress Management/Debriefings, or other Training to supplement their own in-house services through the Supervisor acting as an external/independent contractor, or in the case where such services do not exist or have significant gaps. SFU students in Counselling Psychology or a related field may also be eligible for Clinical Supervision services as long as no conflict of interest exists.

For more information about SAFE, please refer to: https://www.surrey.ca/about-surrey/community-safety.

Further questions? Email safeadm@sfu.ca