- Health and Community Services
Released May 9, 2023
The Provincial Government has provided support of approximately $453,000 to the Canadian Mental Health Association Newfoundland and Labrador Division (CMHA-NL) to coordinate a one-year collaborative training pilot project with Lifewise NL and Richard’s Legacy Foundation.
The demand for the annual Community Addictions Prevention and Mental Health Promotion Fund Program – which provides financial support to individuals, community groups, schools and non-profit organizations interested in increasing awareness and understanding of mental health in Newfoundland and Labrador – has steadily increased over the past several years, surpassing the fund’s capacity. In response, the Provincial Government worked with Lifewise NL, CMHA-NL, and Richard’s Legacy Foundation to develop a collaborative, coordinated approach to the additional training requests across the province.
The training pilot will focus on the delivery of three main programs: Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training, Safe Talk, and Mental Health First Aid. Developed in Canada and recognized internationally, these programs are evidence-based training and are widely accepted in public, private and community sectors. All three courses teach participants how to provide help when an individual is experiencing a mental health or addictions issue. It is anticipated that approximately 125 sessions will be delivered to almost 2,000 individuals throughout Newfoundland and Labrador, as a result of the pilot.
Funding for the pilot project is provided through Our Path of Resilience: An Action Plan to Promote Life and Prevent Suicide in Newfoundland and Labrador, released by the Provincial Government in 2022. The plan calls for educational opportunities for communities to recognize risk of suicide, build comfort in talking about suicide, create awareness of services, as well as expand suicide bereavement and loss support groups and networks.
Quotes
“The demand for mental health and addictions training has steadily grown over the past several years, surpassing the capacity of our available funding programs. We recognize a more coordinated and collaborative approach is needed to ensure we can support this invaluable education in an efficient, quality-assured and accountable manner. Our partnership with CHMA-NL, Lifewise NL, and Richard’s Legacy Foundation to deliver this training aligns with our continued efforts to ensure access to health care.”
Honourable Tom Osborne
Minister of Health and Community Services
“Canadian Mental Health Association – NL Division, Lifewise, and Richard’s Legacy Foundation are honored to be entrusted with providing much needed mental health first aid and suicide intervention education to not-for-profit and charity organizations across Newfoundland and Labrador. It is our aim to create safer, healthier, happier communities, and with the support of the Provincial Government this project represents an enormous step forward in the pursuit of that goal.”
Dr. Chandra Kavanagh
Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Mental Health Association – NL Division
-30-
2023 05 092:30 pm