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CMHA Victoria Office (BC Division)

Media Releases

Our gratitude goes to the Rheta May Pederson Memorial Trust Fund

thank_you

The Canadian Mental Health Association is pleased to announce we’ve received a grant through the Victoria Foundation to the amount of $8,595.70. Our gratitude goes to the Rheta May Pederson Memorial Trust Fund for this generous gift.

In November of 2023, we received this grant through the Victoria Foundation, and will be allocating it to our campaign The Greatest Need. This campaign exists to hold funds to be used for the organization’s area of greatest need, as it changes year to year.

We’d also like to acknowledge the Victoria Foundation for the facilitation and disbursement of funds, and providing a necessary connection between communities and organizations like the Canadian Mental Health Association.

Victoria Foundation logo

Ride Don’t Hide Returns! June 4, 2023

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The Canadian Mental Health Association, BC Division is excited to announce the return of Ride Don’t Hide in 2023!

For the 12th year in a row, RDH will be returning to Victoria hosted by the CMHA BC Division Victoria office. We are so excited for the return of this event, and hope you will join us for another spectacular event day full of community, togetherness, fun, and mental health awareness. Registration is now open, and we are welcoming back all of our usual routes – from the 5km Walk to the 100km Ride!

Find more details on our official Ride Don’t Hide page www.ridedonthide.com/victoria.

register now button link

 

 

Got a question about the ride? Reach out to our Ride Coordinator lauren.sykes@cmha.bc.ca

New culturally informed mental-wellness supports will help Indigenous families

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July 26, 2022 (Victoria) – Indigenous families with children three to 12 who are experiencing big worries and fears will have access to free, culturally grounded wellness practices through a virtual parent and caregiver coaching program.

With the support of the Province, the We Are Indigenous: Big Worries/Fears Parent/Caregiver Support Program was developed with the guidance of the Indigenous advisory group Caring in All Directions and Indigenous writers in collaboration with Canadian Mental Health Association – BC Division (CMHA BC).

“We want Indigenous families to have access to the mental-health support they need, so little problems don’t become big ones,” said Sheila Malcolmson, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions. “The Big Worries/Fears program is guided by traditional knowledge from Indigenous communities and will help parents support their children by working together as a family.”

The program builds on the Confident Parents: Thriving Kids anxiety program offered by CMHA BC where trained coaches build on skills and strategies that can be used with children and family at home and in community settings. The We Are Indigenous program is grounded in Indigenous perspectives to support First Nations, Métis and Inuit families throughout B.C.

“Children, youth and their families need access to supports and services that are culturally safe and trauma informed,” said Mitzi Dean, Minister of Children and Family Development. “I am pleased this program, which was designed by Indigenous people for Indigenous people, will bring supports to children with big worries and their families across the province by integrating wellness and cultural practices.”

Parents, caregivers and their children can learn about Indigenous-centred wellness practices and strategies to increase their skills and strong spiritedness to push back against big worries and fears, known as anxiety in western views. The program delivery includes short online videos and scheduled telephone coaching sessions to provide families with tools to discuss what they are already doing, and to learn new practices and how to use these practices with their children.

“Some of the main impacts on parenting for my people are residential schools and the Sixties Scoop,” said Jacki McPherson, representative of Caring in All Directions and vice-chair of the board for CMHA BC. “I think if more children and more parents understand that their parents and their grandparents were not given the opportunity to learn how to be parents in a productive way, they would be more understanding not only of their childhood, but also how to move forward and how to change things for their children and grandchildren. Parents do the best they can with the tools they have. This program will help Indigenous families recognize the root of some of their challenges in parenting and provide more tools to families, and that’s going to make a big difference.”

Developed by and for Indigenous people, the program acknowledges the strong spiritedness of Indigenous families, the importance of supporting First Nations in their wellness wisdoms, as well as the disruptive influences of colonization on Indigenous families.

“We Are Indigenous: Big Worries/Fears Parent/Caregiver Support Program builds on the success of supports that have been proven to help families, as well as strengths and wisdoms of Indigenous Peoples,” said Jonny Morris, CEO, CMHA BC. “It’s an honour to collaborate with and learn from our Indigenous partners to help further develop and support the strong spiritedness of Indigenous families in B.C. together.”

Improving wellness for children, youth and young adults is an integral part of A Pathway to Hope, B.C.’s roadmap for building the comprehensive system of mental-health and addictions care that British Columbians deserve.

Learn More:

Media Contacts
Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions
Media Relations
250 882-9054

Canadian Mental Health Association, BC Division
Communications
604 353-8159
Media@cmha.bc.ca

Most British Columbians worry COVID will never go away

Worried Woman With Protective Face Mask In Bus Transport.

New research shows chronic stress taking toll on individuals and organizations

(March 1, 2022) –  Far from feeling the pandemic is over, most people in British Columbia are stressed about what’s next, with 65% worried about new variants and 64% worried about COVID-19 circulating in the population for years to come. Two years of pandemic-related stressors, including grief and trauma, are likely to lead to significant long-term mental health effects on both our population and the frontline mental health providers caring for them. This according to Round 4 of the Assessing the Impacts of COVID-19 on Mental Health national monitoring survey by the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) in partnership with UBC researchers, and CMHA’s Running on empty: how community mental health organizations have fared on the frontlines of COVID-19, both released today.

“We’re seeing the signs of chronic stress on the population,” says Margaret Eaton, National CEO of CMHA. “Unfortunately, community mental health organizations have drawn on shallow reserves to meet people’s mental health needs during COVID, and now they’re running on empty. It’s time to check the engine light on our mental health system.”

The chronic stress of dealing with the pandemic is taking its toll, making basic decisions harder, sapping our energy and leaving people plain tired or burnt out. Nearly half (41%) of British Columbians are stressed or worried about coping with uncertainty.

“We’re seeing big differences—or inequities—in how different groups of people are affected by the pandemic. This is dividing our society into haves and have-nots when it comes to mental health and illness,” says lead researcher Emily Jenkins, a professor of nursing at UBC who studies mental health and substance use. “The pandemic has made it impossible to ignore the longstanding service gaps and systemic barriers in our systems.”

Over a third (41%) say their mental health has declined since the onset of the pandemic and this spikes in vulnerable groups such as those who are unemployed due to COVID-19 (57%), had a pre-existing mental health condition (54%), identify as LGBTQ2+ (49%), are students (47%), have a disability (44%) or are Indigenous (42%). Nearly half of British Columbians (48%) are worried about the compounding effects of climate change on top of COVID-19 and ten per cent have had recent thoughts or feelings of suicide.

British Columbians who cannot get the mental health help they need due to long wait lists or high costs, rely on free mental health and addictions services and supports provided by the not-for-profit sector, but these organizations are strained to breaking.

“We’ve seen a significant and sustained increase in demand for our services and resources across the board,” says Jonny Morris, CEO, CMHA, BC Division. “With the drug poisoning crisis, re-traumatizing effects of recent residential school discoveries, the pandemic,  and significant climate change related events, people are really experiencing the compounding impact of a number of substantial factors on our individual and collective mental health. People are drained, and we need sustained action.”

Almost one in five (17%) British Columbians felt they needed help with their mental health during the pandemic but didn’t receive it because: they didn’t know how or where to get it (35%), couldn’t afford to pay (41%), couldn’t get access (37%) or because insurance didn’t cover it (19%).

“Improving Canadians’ mental health is about more than just increasing access to care,” says Anne Gadermann, co-lead researcher and professor at the School of Population and Public Health, UBC. “We need to address the root causes of mental health inequities through promotion and prevention, in addition to treatment.”

In Running on Empty, CMHA calls on the federal government to better fund, support and integrate community mental health services within the healthcare system and: establish long-term and stable federal funding for key programs, services and supports in the community mental health sector; invest in mental health promotion and mental illness prevention programs and strategies; publicly fund community-based counseling and psychotherapy; and invest in housing, income supports and food security.

At the provincial level, CMHA BC echoes the need for more government support. “We are very encouraged by recent investments from the Province in mental health and substance use, and there’s a need to ensure that as overall health spending increases, mental health and addictions care is not left behind,” says Morris. “The Province’s extension of community counselling resources is a great example of heading in the right direction.”

CMHA BC suggests three key areas where the Provincial budget could sustain momentum from prior budget years: increasing and indexing income assistance rates to inflation, including disability assistance; targeting a portion of the budget’s investments in protecting people and communities from climate-related disasters towards the psychological impacts of disaster recovery; and continuing the transformation of access to psychotherapy with deeper and broader investments in community counselling.

Getting help
If you or someone you love is struggling, please contact your local CMHA or visit the Government of Canada’s Wellness Together portal. If you are in crisis, please call 310-6789 (no area code needed in BC) or dial 911.

About the survey
The survey was dispatched by Maru/Matchbox from Nov. 29 – Dec. 7, 2021, to a representative sample of 3,030 people ages 18 and up living in Canada. The fourth round of this national monitoring survey was made possible by generous support from Co-operators. To access a complete summary of the findings, please click here.

About the report
The report uses in-depth interviews across all provinces and the Yukon territory to outline how community mental health organizations have been impacted by and responded to the pandemic. The research was made possible by generous support from Co-operators. To access the complete report, please click here.

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About the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA)
CMHA is Canada’s most established mental health charity and the nation-wide leader and champion for mental health. CMHA helps people access the resources they need to maintain and improve mental health, build resilience, and support recovery from mental illness. Each year in BC alone, CMHA serves more than 100,000 people across the province. For mental health and addiction information and resources visit www.cmha.bc.ca

Media Contact:

Pamela Findling
Senior Manager, Communications, CMHA BC Division
P: +1 (604) 349-4574
E: pamela.findling@cmha.bc.ca

CMHA BC and MOD Pizza partner for mental health in Victoria

MOD Pizza to donate 50 per cent of sales on December 12 to CMHA BC

December 3, 2021 –  If you’re looking for Sunday meal ideas on December 12, you might want to stop by MOD Pizza in Langford. On that day, MOD Pizza will donate 50 per cent of all sales to Canadian Mental Health Association, BC Division (CMHA BC), the non-profit organization that aims to support everyone’s right to their best possible mental health.

“We’re grateful for the generous support of MOD Pizza again this year,” says Jocelyn de Montmorency, program manager at CMHA BC. “The event will not only raise money to support local mental health programs and services, but will raise awareness about the importance of checking in on ourselves and our loved ones during this difficult time of year.”

As people struggle with the compounding impacts of flooding, the pandemic, wildfires, climate change, and the confirmation of bodies at former residential schools, CMHA BC has seen a significant increase in demand for its services and programs. In a survey this spring, over seven in 10 British Columbians reported feeling worried, bored, stressed, lonely or sad, and 37 per cent reported that their mental health has declined during the pandemic.

Jim Hayden, owner of the MOD Langford location, sees the need and wanted to help. “It’s been a hard couple of years for everyone, and the importance of mental health care and support has never been clearer,” says Hayden. “CMHA BC is doing critical work that directly impacts the people in our community. As a business owner, my philosophy has always been that it’s as much about the people you help as the product you serve, and I’m so pleased to support CMHA BC with this fundraiser.”

Santa Claus will also be visiting MOD Pizza on the same day from 4:00-7:00 pm. “Bring the family or your friends, or just come by yourself to MOD Pizza for a photo with Santa and help raise money for CMHA BC at the same time,” says Hayden.

Media Contact:
Jocelyn de Montmorency
CMHA BC Division
Jocelyn.demontmorency@cmha.bc.ca 250-514-2717

NOTICE: Office Closed on September 30th

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This Thursday, September 30th we will be closed to honour National Truth and Reconciliation Day. The day commemorates the history and ongoing trauma caused by residential schools and honours those who were lost and the survivors, families, and communities who continue to grieve. The CMHA BC – Victoria Office is located on the traditional, unceded lands of the Lekwungen (Songhees) and Wyomilth (Esquimalt) Nations.
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We are encouraged to use this opportunity to consider what each of us can do to advance reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, and to better understand and learn from the truth of our shared history. ⠀
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At CMHA Victoria, we are committed to acting on the Truth and Reconciliation Calls for Action.

More parents, kids to get help from free mental health service

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Parents and caregivers in B.C. whose children have anxiety impacting their development and day-to-day happiness at home, school and in the community will soon have access to a new, free intervention program.

The program includes access to educational videos and weekly telephone coaching sessions and will be available starting April 29, 2019.

Serving parents and caregivers of children aged three to 12 years, the Anxiety Program – a new offering under the existing Confident Parents: Thriving Kids service – is designed to reduce the impact of anxiety on a child. It was developed locally by the Canadian Mental Health Association, BC Division (CMHA BC), in partnership with B.C. psychologists who specialize in child and youth mental health.

“Today’s announcement is excellent news for families in B.C. that require mental health support for their children,” said the Ginette Petitpas Taylor, federal Minister of Health. “Improving access to home and community care and mental health and addiction services is one of the ways in which collaboration between the governments of Canada and B.C. is helping to make lives better for B.C. residents.”

New office space on View Street in downtown Victoria will house the team that is delivering the online and telephone-based program. In the first phase, a total of 14 of 20 coaches have been hired and are completing orientation and training.

“For parents, knowing how to manage their child’s anxious behaviour can become a challenge. With today’s investment, parents now have somewhere to turn for the support they need,” said Judy Darcy, B.C.’s Minister of Mental Health and Addictions. “Expanding this successful service is so important because we know that the sooner we address mental-health and behaviour challenges, the better it is for the entire family.”

In addition, to meet the needs of Indigenous families, CMHA BC is working with Indigenous peoples and organizations to develop a culturally sensitive and appropriate model for this program, which is expected to launch in fall 2019.

The new Anxiety Program builds on the success of the existing Behaviour Program that parents and caregivers rate highly in terms of effectiveness.

“Previously, CMHA BC was relying on year-end funding for Confident Parents: Thriving Kids, and that meant that families never had a guarantee that these services would be available year over year,” said Katrine Conroy, B.C.’s Minister of Children and Family Development. “We believe these programs are vital and that’s why, for the first time ever, government is providing Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions Ministry of Children and Family Development
annual funding.”

The Behaviour Program, which parents and caregivers have  accessed since 2015, includes a series of six to 14 weekly telephone-coaching sessions in a flexible format, using exercises and workbooks. Trained coaches empower parents and caregivers to learn effective skills and techniques that are proven to prevent, reduce and reverse the development of mild to moderate behaviour difficulties – including aggression, attention deficit or unco-operative or disruptive behaviour – that create challenges in home, school and public settings.

Parents can access both programs at times that work for them, such as evenings and weekends. A referral from general physicians, pediatricians or Ministry of Children and Family Development community child and youth mental-health teams is required.

The total $5.75-million investment – $3 million for the Anxiety Program and $2.75 million for the Behaviour Program – is part of a five-year, $656-million bilateral agreement announced in
September 2018 between the Government of Canada and the Province of B.C. The agreement features targeted incremental investments to expand home and community care, and mental health and addiction services.

Quotes:

Bev Gutray, CEO of CMHA, BC Division –

“CMHA BC is pleased to be able to offer both of these programs throughout B.C. and serve families regardless of whether they live in a rural/remote community or a large urban centre. By assisting parents to support their children’s mental health early in life, we enhance their ability to thrive across the lifespan.”

Tiffany Samson, parent –

“Before we took the Confident Parents: Thriving Kids Behaviour Program, I was overwhelmed. I felt like I wasn’t equipped, I didn’t have the tools to deal with our daughter’s behaviour, and I just felt like I was really struggling. After completing the program, I felt confident as a parent.”

Kate Longpre, parent –

“As a parent, I want to learn the skills and strategies to support my child to manage their anxiety. With the Confident Parents: Thriving Kids Anxiety Program, I can learn these skills at no cost – from my home – supported by a trained coach.”

Quick Facts:

  • Of parents or caregivers who have completed the Confident Parents: Thriving Kids
    program since 2015, 85% reported good or very good improvement in their child􀍛s
    behaviour.
  • While 50-70% of mental illnesses show up before the age of 18 years, only about one in four kids and teens in Canada who need mental health treatment get it.
  • While 4% of children and youth aged 4-17 would meet diagnostic criteria for an anxiety disorder at any given time, the percentage of children with mild to moderate anxiety conditions is understood to be much higher.
  • Anxiety conditions are characterized by apprehension, fear, bodily symptoms and avoidance behaviour that impairs normal functioning.
  • While it is not unusual for children to have behaviour-related problems at some time, conduct disorder is a persistent set of behaviours that violate the rights of others, goes against accepted norms of behavior and disrupts the child’s or family’s everyday life.
  • Since 2015, more than 3,200 families have been helped by the Behaviour Program.
  • Once fully staffed, it is estimated that the Confident Parents: Thriving Kids Anxiety
    Program will serve 2,400 B.C. families annually.
  • In 2017-18, 1,277 families were referred to Confident Parents: Thriving Kids by 512
    primary health-care providers from over 70 communities in every region of the province.
  • Parent ratings indicate very positive outcomes with 78.8% of participants falling in the categories of “fully resolved” (55.5%) or “significant improvement” (24.2%).
  • Parent satisfaction with the program is very high, with 93% of parents rating the
    program’s quality as “excellent” or “very good.”

Learn More:

Watch a video about the Confident Parents: Thriving Kids Programs: https://youtu.be/ku2PBUboCro

Get information about Confident Parents: Thriving Kids at: www.confidentparentsbc.ca

Visit the Ministry of Children and Family Development’s public portal to learn more about child and youth mental health case trends and data: https://mcfd.gov.bc.ca/reporting/services/childand-youth-mental-health/case-data-and-trends

Contacts:

Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions
Government Communications and Public
Engagement
250 208-8438

Ministry of Children and Family Development
Government Communications and Public
Engagement
250 356-1553

Connect with the Province of B.C. at: news.gov.bc.ca/connect