Let’s talk mental health

By Lyndi-Colleen Morgan

This year, Bell Let’s Talk will reach its goal of donating $100 million to help end the stigma of mental illness and fund programs in local communities.

“Canada leads the way each year with the biggest mental health conversation in the world,” said Mary Deacon, chair of Bell Let’s Talk in a news release published Jan.6.

“I invite everyone to get engaged this Jan. 30 as we reach some incredible new milestones.”

Bell Let’s Talk was first launched in 2010 and has since had approximately 870 million interactions with Canadians in its mission to end the stigma surrounding mental health.

For every interaction made, Bell donates five cents to Canadian mental health programs. Interactions can include a text, call or Tweet, as well as a post to Facebook, Instagram or Snapchat with the #BellLetsTalk hashtag.

The funds raised are divided among projects that improve access to mental health care and support for those living with mental illness.

In 2017, the Canadian Mental Health Association Windsor-Essex received a grant from the Bell Let’s Talk initiative to assist in their Bounce Back Program. This program helped to address a long wait list.

“[The grant] helped to kick off services and addressing where the gaps and needs were with the wait list,” said Jenny-Lee Almedia, Mental Health Educator with CMHA Windsor-Essex. “This makes sure that we have enough individuals trained and able to help individuals who may have been waiting for a while on a wait list.”

Almedia said the Bounce Back Program is an Ontario-wide program helping individuals build skills to deal with depressive symptoms through instructional videos in addition to a series of workbooks supported by telephone coaching.

“We need to constantly explore fundraising and fund development grants. What we do know in our community is that everyone is affected by mental health,” said Almedia. “We know services are essential, so whatever doesn’t get 100 per cent funded, we make sure we raise those dollars and we make sure we let our community know how important these services are.”

In 2018, two local non-profit organizations received similar grants from Bell Let’s Talk to assist in their community programming. One of the recipients was Family Services Windsor-Essex. The grant helped launch their Wellness and Coaching Program.

This four-week education program is available to all clients experiencing challenges such as sadness, stress, feeling bad, managing past or current life events using discussion and toolkits.

“Bell Let’s Talk funds local community initiatives across the country which are important because they help us to test out new initiative ideas and respond to growing or new needs or further develop initiatives supported by a government or other programs,” said Judy Lund, strategic development and communications manager FSWE.

“Bell Let’s Talk is really important because it helps to raise awareness and the discussion on a national level, it gets people talking and helping to reduce the stigma about mental wellness and mental illness about how common it is and about how it’s not someone’s fault.”

For more information about Bell Let’s Talk visit letstalk.bell.ca, or for more information about services offered at CMHA or FSWE visit windsoressex.cmha.ca or fswe.ca.