Homewood Health introduces ad campaign to create awareness of new outpatient clinic

Debuts new advertising campaign, 'We Rescue People' to create awareness

Homewood Health Inc. has launched a bold new advertising campaign in the southern Alberta market to create awareness of its first new mental health and addiction treatment clinic, The Homewood Clinic, located in southwest Calgary.

"The launch of our first outpatient clinic in January of this year, and the 'We Rescue People' media campaign last week, further demonstrates Homewood's commitment to new, innovative choices for individual Albertans and Alberta employers in the treatment of mental illness and addiction," said Jagoda Pike, President and CEO of Homewood Health. "Our objective with our clinic concept is to provide new options for people seeking assessment, treatment and aftercare. Mental health and addiction related disability is a leading reason why people miss work. The longer they're off, the less likely they will have a successful return, and we know that timely access to assessment and treatment has a significant impact on their ability to get back to work, and back to life," said Pike.

"The ad campaign concept of 'Rescue' was conceived as a metaphor," says Sean Slater, Homewood's Executive Vice President responsible for marketing. "We typically encounter people when they've tried many other interventions without success, and when they feel like they are drowning or being swallowed up by their illness. Our alumni clients and patients commonly say that Homewood saved their lives, so our radio, billboard, print and online campaign brings that sentiment to life," said Slater.

The Homewood Clinic, Calgary, the first in a national network of such clinics slated to be opened this year, provides tailored, specialized, group-based treatment and aftercare with a unique focus on building the skills necessary for a successful return to work and life. The multi-disciplinary team of psychologists, social workers, counsellors and occupational therapists is supported by the full strength of the Homewood Health medical and clinical team across the country. Dr. Beth Reade, a graduate of the University of Toronto's medical school, and who did her psychiatric residency at the University of Calgary, has been a psychiatrist with Homewood for more than 20 years, and is the medical director and lead consultant to the clinic.

"Intensive group-based therapy and aftercare are best-practice approaches to treating both addiction and mental health related issues," says Dr. Reade, "and people most often have to access this type of intervention in a hospital setting. Our outpatient clinics make this leading treatment available close to home, when, and where, people really need it."