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

3 Minute Read
Health & Wellness
Why you should avoid water with blue-green algae blooms

Learn how to stay safe in B.C. waters when blue-green algae blooms, or cyanobacteria, are present.

/stories/why-you-should-avoid-water-blue-green-algae-blooms

3 Minute Read
Community & Culture
We are IH: “Mr. Wonderful” a champion for care staff & residents

Robert Gignac works hard to make Parkview Place in Enderby a site that residents are proud to call home and where staff are proud to serve at.

/stories/we-are-ih-mr-wonderful-champion-care-staff-residents

3 Minute Read
Health & Wellness
How IH’s grants make a difference during extreme weather events

The Health & Housing Program launched the Extreme Cold Weather Grant in 2024, supporting 26 communities in providing essentials to vulnerable residents.

/stories/how-ihs-grants-make-difference-during-extreme-weather-events

5 Minute Read
Community & Culture
We are IH: Remote Practice RN loves different aspects of nursing

A highly skilled registered nurse, Bettina was the missing piece needed to increase health-care services for residents in the hidden gem of Blue River.

/stories/we-are-ih-remote-practice-rn-loves-different-aspects-nursing

6 Minute Read
Health & Wellness
What’s in your kit? Packing emergency kits or grab-and-go bags

Your emergency kit should always include critical supplies like water, food, and a wind-up radio, but you can also add items that are unique to your situation.

/stories/whats-your-kit-packing-emergency-kits-or-grab-and-go-bags

3 Minute Read
Community & Culture
We are IH: A decade of care rooted in community

On July 1, 2025, Dr. Robinson will celebrate 10 years as a urologist at Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital (KBRH).

/stories/we-are-ih-decade-care-rooted-community

STAY CONNECTED

Receive news and alert posts, and Stories@IH blog posts, right to your inbox!

Sign Up
mail