Coming Full Circle Program Launched In Haliburton County For Networking In Substance Abuse and Metal Health Challenges

Point in Time and the Canadian Mental Health Association Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge (CMHA HKPR) have officially launched its Coming Full Circle Program in Haliburton County with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, announced on Tuesday.

Photo courtesy of CMHA HKPR.

Funded by Canada’s Substance Use and Addictions Program (SUAP), the program is a transformative two-year initiative designed to build a network of peer support workers who bring lived and living experience of substance use and mental health challenges according to a press release. These individuals are trained, mentored, and supported to contribute meaningfully to improvements in the health and social systems across Haliburton County.

The program is rooted in the belief that lived experience is a powerful asset. Peer support workers offer a unique and invaluable perspective, fostering trust, empathy, and connection in ways that traditional services often cannot.

“This program represents a different approach to care, one rooted in connection and lived experience.” said David Barkley, program supervisor. “Peer support means working with someone who truly understands the barriers and challenges because they’ve been through them too. That authenticity helps build trust and makes it easier to navigate the tough realities that can come with living in smaller, rural communities. People deserve support from a place where they feel welcomed, not judged.”

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