Community & Culture

We Are IH: Social work clinician models resilience and compassion

August 30, 2023
Elaine Prud'homme loves spending time in nature, and having fun with her daughters

Name: Elaine Prud’homme (she/her/hers)
Job Title: Youth Substance Use Connections DASW (Discipline Allied with Social Work)
Years of Service: 10
Worksite: Rocky Mountain Lodge MHSU (Mental Health and Substance Use)
Community: Cranbrook
Ancestral Territory: Ktunaxa
Favourite Quote / Advice to live by: Let go, let God. Keep it simple. One day at a time.

For Elaine Prud’homme, being a positive role model for her children, and creating positive outcomes for people in her community makes life worth living.

Learn more about her journey with IH

Elaine was born in Montreal and raised in Kelowna, B.C. She relocated to the Kootenays 20 years ago, and now resides in beautiful Cranbrook. Growing up surrounded by drug addiction and poverty, she knew from a young age that she wanted to pursue a career to try to “tackle the stigma surrounding the less fortunate.” Elaine ended up working at a women’s shelter for 15 years, before joining IH and working at Ponderosa House detox centre in Cranbrook. When Ponderosa closed, she moved to the Chemical Dependency Team, which then became the Substance Use Connections team.

A woman with blonde hair and wearing a purple top takes a photo with a blonde child, and blonde toddler
Elaine smiles with her children Skylee, 7, and Everley, 4.

Elaine now works on the Youth Substance Use Connections (SUC) team, and though sometimes the work is tough, she approaches her role with resilience, strength and compassion. She is agile and responsive in her day-to-day work, putting out “legit dumpster fires on the regular,” and navigating frequent changes due to client needs.

When the Youth Substance Use Connection position came up, I snatched it up as it offers me the latitude to develop a whole new program, which is both exciting and a new challenge.

-- Elaine Prud'homme (she/her/hers)

Energized by each day’s small accomplishments, and how they add up to success stories and positive outcomes for her community, Elaine is currently pursuing her master’s degree in clinical counselling.

I always wanted to get my master’s degree after I got my B.A. 20 years ago but, never felt confident I could actually DO it being that I have been out of school for so long. My former team lead encouraged me to just GO FOR IT and continue my education. I applied, and have not looked back! I am blessed that she supported me to pursue my dreams.

-- Elaine Prud'homme (she/her/hers)

Outside of work, Elaine loves spending time with her two beautiful daughters. She enjoys the outdoor paradise of the East Kootenays and does plenty of camping, swimming and dirt biking. Says Elaine, “I love camping. Getting away from all the noise and being in nature is so therapeutic.”

Woman wearing a black hoodie, pink helmet, and pink gloves sits on a blue dirtbike. Child in pink and grey outfit and orange helmet sits on a yellow and black dirtbike.
Elaine loves dirt biking with her daughter Skylee, 7.

Looking to the future, Elaine is excited to take her eldest daughter to her first concert in October, seeing Dermot Kennedy. She’s looking forward to when her eldest daughter can babysit her sister, and can’t wait for the day her kids start sleeping in, so she can sleep in as well! One of Elaine’s simplest pleasures is extremely relatable – throwing out a really old Tupperware container with no lid!

Woman smiles holding a painting of two mittens hanging on a branch.
Elaine enjoys a paint night.

 

Elaine nominates Janelle Williams, RN, Substance Use Connections, to keep We Are IH going

“Janelle is an amazing nurse who has such a giant heart and is a beautiful soul who deserves to be recognized.” – Elaine Prud’homme

Explore MHSU Careers@IH

Have you thought about a career in Mental Health and Substance Use (MHSU) at IH?

Explore career opportunities
 

 

A logo with the words 2023 written out in blue, in front of various graphics including a white maple leaf, grey and green mountains and a yellow sun. The words BC's Top Employers is underneath.A logo featuring a green letter y in the middle with parallel blue lines surrounding it. Circling the graphic are the words Canada's Top Employers For Young People 2023.

Stories@IH

Read our latest stories

View All Stories

4 Minute Read
Community & Culture
Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc grad offers midwifery care close to home

As a doula, Sage Thomas attended a home birth where the family integrated Indigenous ceremonial practices. She’s now practising midwifery in her home community.

/stories/tkemlups-te-secwepemc-grad-offers-midwifery-care-close-home

2 Minute Read
Community & Culture
We are IH: Care aide proud that residents consider her a friend

Thirty-five years into her career with IH, Elizabeth Adolph still loves what she does: taking care of residents at Mountain View Lodge in Lillooet.

/stories/we-are-ih-care-aide-proud-residents-consider-her-friend

5 Minute Read
Health & Wellness
IH’s fifth In Plain Sight Response supports reconciliation

In the 5 years since the In Plain Sight report was released, we’ve made strides towards being a culturally safe organization—but there’s more work to do.

/stories/ihs-fifth-plain-sight-response-supports-reconciliation

3 Minute Read
Community & Culture
We are IH: Pharmacy tech enjoys problem solving for patients

Inspired by her aunt’s career as a pharmacist, Angela became a pharmacy technician to use the hands-on aspect of compounding to benefit patient care.

/stories/we-are-ih-pharmacy-tech-enjoys-problem-solving-patients

4 Minute Read
Health & Wellness
More than soup: the benefits of a universal school lunch program

Souper Meals brings students together once a week over locally made soup, fresh fruit, veggies and buns, all free of charge.

/stories/more-soup-benefits-universal-school-lunch-program

3 Minute Read
Community & Culture
Dr. Jeff Wong leads Kelowna Pediatric Department forward

With decades of experience rooted in compassion and commitment to children’s health, Dr. Jeff Wong is carving a path for pediatric care at Kelowna Hospital.

/stories/dr-jeff-wong-leads-kelowna-pediatric-department-forward

STAY CONNECTED

Receive news, alerts, public service announcements and articles right to your inbox.

Sign up today
mail