A new health clinic has opened at Kickstand Edmonton, a youth hub operated by the YMCA of Northern Alberta. The West Edmonton Primary Care Network (WEPN) clinic is part of the Integrated Youth Services (IYS) initiative, which aims to provide young people with easy access to various health and well-being services in one location.
Background of the IYS Initiative
The IYS initiative was launched in 2020 as a pilot project between WEPN and the YMCA. It brought together multiple agencies under one roof to support young people in their community.
Mission and Vision
According to Katherine Hay, executive director of Kickstand Edmonton, the centre’s core mission is to make every young person feel safe, included, and at home. This goal aligns with the vision behind IYS.
"We’re really proud that we can offer this service here," Hay said. "We believe that every young person deserves access to high-quality healthcare services."
Collaborative Approach
Marti Pickett, executive director of WEPN, emphasized that integrated youth services bring together multiple agencies to support young people in their community.
"Integrated youth services really brings together a number of youth-serving agencies who are all committed to supporting young people in the community," said Michael Peters from YMCA. "But instead of those agencies and those organizations offering supports across the city, now they’re all offered in one space."
Pickett also highlighted that this collaborative approach allows for more effective support for local youth.
"All these different partners came together around this vision for how we could better serve kids," she said. "And so it’s not just about providing individualized care but also about creating opportunities for connection among our patients."
Conclusion
The opening of this clinic marks an important step towards achieving IYS’s goal of providing comprehensive health and well-being services for young people in West Edmonton.
"It’s been amazing working with everyone involved on this project," Pickett said. "We’re excited about what it means for our patients."
I’m Mark W. Lamplugh Jr., a visionary Chief Executive Officer, Board Member, and best-selling Author with over 25 years of experience driving significant revenue growth and optimizing ROI across the healthcare, wellness, and media industries. Throughout my career, I’ve consistently transformed underperforming operations into thriving ventures by building top-tier marketing organizations, implementing data-driven strategies, and leading transformational change. My empathetic, collaborative, and adaptable leadership style has allowed me to cultivate inclusive cultures of innovation, develop and retain top talent, and forge strong partnerships that fuel organizational success.
Adept in executive leadership, strategic business planning, and brand and marketing strategy, I have a proven track record of boosting annual revenues—achieving up to $1.3B in oncology over three years and generating $360M in mental health initiatives. My approach combines strategic vision with hands-on execution, as evidenced by my success in launching innovative facilities, expanding services for addiction and mental health care, and enhancing organizational brand visibility. As author of “The AI Marketing Playbook,” I contribute thought leadership on the integration of artificial intelligence in marketing, a role that showcases my commitment to staying at the forefront of industry innovation.
I also bring my insights and expertise to a broad audience as the host of cable tv & global streaming of “Street Level Marketing Show,” while my writing has been featured in major publications such as Entrepreneur, Business.com, The Startup, and Kivo Daily. Whether I’m implementing targeted digital marketing campaigns that engage over a million individuals monthly or overseeing multi-million dollar budgets to maximize return on investment, I approach every challenge with a combination of strategic planning, creative problem-solving, and unwavering dedication. Above all, I am passionate about expanding access to high-quality addiction and mental health care through innovative solutions that drive both patient outcomes and organizational growth.
Mark serves on the board of One World for Life, National Fire Heritage Center, and the Institute for Responder Wellness.
Mark (https://marklamplugh.com) is one of the top marketing executives in the United States and has revolutionized how companies reach potential clients thru influence, SEO, social, PR, and traditional marketing. His expertise in Marketing, Social Media, Digital Marketing, and Public Relations has generated millions of dollars in revenue for several national companies. Mark documents many of his techniques in his book “Beginners Guide to Social & Digital Media.” and “Marketing Playbook for Social Media,” which was named the top 100 social media marketing books of all time by Book Authority. He’s also a professional advocate for the behavioral and mental health of firefighters and other first responders. Marks articles have been published in Better Marketing, Startup Magazine, Social Media Today, Kivo Daily, Biz Catalyst 360, Fire Engineering, Firehouse Magazine, and several others.
One of his companies, niches, are marketing products and services to the public safety industry and their employees, specifically mental & behavioral health services. He can be reached for comment at ceo@influencemediasolutions.com
23,000 #1 Connections, 40,000,000 US B2B Contacts and 300,000,000 B2b/B2C email contacts as well as 1,000,000+ monthly social media reach. https://marklamplugh.com
