The Canada Post Foundation for Mental Health 2011 Grant Recipients
In March 2011, the Foundation invited community-based groups across the country to apply for funding of projects that would directly benefit people affected by mental illness. Funding was allocated to projects aimed at building front-line capacity to provide community-based support for those affected by mental illness or for those supporting them in a non-professional capacity (e.g. family, friends).
Year after year, grant recipients say our funds make it possible for them to provide help they simply could not offer without the Canada Post Foundation for Mental Health. We understand that we have an opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of those living with mental illness. To date, almost 100 non-profit organizations across the country have shared more than $4.6 million in grants, critical funding to build and enhance mental health programs in every province of the country.
The Foundation is pleased to provide the following organizations funding (ranging from $1,000 - $65,000) for their mental health-related programs:
The Canada Post Foundation for Mental Health 2011 Grant Recipients
The Alexandra Community Health Centre
Project: Peer Support and Family Psycho-Education Program
Location: Calgary, AB
Objective: Hire a peer support specialist to provide recovery-oriented, community-based support for individuals living with severe mental illness. A psycho education group will be established to help patients and their families better understand mental illness and assist with recovery.
Impact: Fewer trips to the hospital for patients with mental illness and patients’ families will have a greater ability to cope.
Centre for Suicide Prevention
Project: Alberta Suicide Prevention Development Seminar
Location: Communities across Alberta
Objective: To provide courses to 60 trainers in Alberta on suicide intervention, prevention and risk. Trainers will then deliver workshops available to the general public to increase understanding of those at risk and develop skills for responding in critical situations.
Impact: The knowledge and teaching ability of trainers is enhanced and the opportunity for community members to gain awareness of issues concerning individuals at risk of suicide is increased, as is their capacity to respond effectively.
The Support Network
Location: Edmonton, AB
Objective: To increase the hours of service for free or low-fee single session counselling for those suffering from mental health and addiction issues. A part-time supervisor will be hired to expand the hours of operation from 28 to 40 hours per week, including Saturday.
Impact: Increased accessibility to those in crisis and a reduction in the demand placed on higher-cost health facilities and services.
Safe Haven Women’s Shelter Society
Location: Taber, AB
Objective: To increase support for women and children at the shelter who are experiencing mental health issues. Shelter staff will be trained to provide mental health first aid and to de-escalate potentially violent situations.
Impact: Increase staff confidence in their ability to interact effectively with clients and decrease the need for outside intervention, such as police or medical personnel.
First United Church
Project: Enrich Staff Competencies
Location: Downtown Eastside Vancouver, BC
Objective: Hire a full-time staff worker to enrich staff competencies. This will result in more skilled, collaborative and efficient crisis interventions with community members suffering from mental illness.
Impact: Staff will have better knowledge and tools to support clients. Services offered to those affected by mental illness will be better integrated with other providers.
Cameray Child and Family Services
Project: Cameray Mental Health Enrichment Project
Location: Burnaby and New Westminster, BC
Objective: Hire a part-time therapist to expand the Child and Youth Mental Health Counselling Program. This will include sessions for children suffering from anxiety, and support groups for their parents. Advanced training will also be provided to therapists working with the children in the program.
Impact: Improved help for children and youth struggling with anxiety disorders and improved support for their families.
Ann Davis Transition Society
Location: Chilliwack/Agassiz/Hope, BC
Objective: To hire a clinical counsellor to triage and counsel adults and children who are suffering from mental health issues or addictions. The counsellor will help stabilize individuals waiting for detox or psychiatric assessment. The counsellor will also facilitate participation of clients in rehabilitation programs.
Impact: Individuals struggling with acute mental health or addiction issues will have better immediate support and be able to more easily access on-going rehabilitation support and resources.
Three Voices Healing Society
Project: Voices of Integration, The Wellness Continuum
Location: Creston, BC
Objective: To allow First Nation people, working with a psychologist, to express their personal trauma history as a first step in overcoming their addiction. A holistic mental health assessment will be provided to community-based counsellors offering follow-up support.
Impact: The intention is to increase chances of maintaining sobriety by enabling individuals with addiction issues to articulate their circumstances, and to give community counsellors a better starting point from which they can provide clients with support in their home environment.
CMHA – BC Division
Project: Living Life to the Full
Location: Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island, Northern B.C. and the B.C. Interior
Objective: To train 30 people to deliver the Living Life to the Full course to people living with mental health issues within the Ismaili community. The course focuses on learning and developing life management skills in order to deal with low-self esteem and anger.
Impact: At least 600 consumers will be able to enrol in a course that teaches self-management techniques.
Family Resource Centre Society for the North Okanagan
Project: Counselling and Support for Post-Partum Clients
Location: North Okanagan area, BC
Objective: To support women dealing with post-partum depression through counselling, including a comprehensive assessment and referral to appropriate resources to determine treatment goals. There will also be a program focusing on self-care and attachment parenting.
Impact: Improved health of the mother and her infant as well as better relationships within the family. Reduced need for medical care and reduced potential for infanticide and suicide.
Choices For Youth
Project: Moving Forward
Location: St. John’s
Objective: To hire a staff person and provide funding for incidentals, such as food, transportation and recreational activities, to help integrate youth suffering from mental illness in the community.
Impact: Help stabilize the lives of young people suffering from mental illness through increased involvement in school activities, a decrease in the need for crisis intervention, better attendance for medical appointments and greater proficiency in the execution of daily life-skills tasks, such as cleaning, cooking and grocery shopping.
Portage Atlantic
Project: Aftercare and Reintegration Support for Youth at Risk
Location: Fredericton/Moncton/Saint John/Edmundston (NB) and Charlottetown (PE)
Objective: To expand aftercare support programs for youth completing drug and alcohol residential treatment programs, by hiring an additional staff person. The project will also offer increased support to families of youth with drug and alcohol dependencies.
Impact: Better support for youth who have made an effort at self-rehabilitation to return to a productive life within their communities
Multicultural Association of Fredericton Inc.
Project: Mental Health Support for Newcomers
Location: Fredericton, NB
Objective: To enhance access to and delivery of culturally-sensitive mental health and addiction services to immigrants and refugees. To provide mental health therapists and cultural and linguistic interpreters with training in order to support the delivery of services for newcomers affected by depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress.
Impact: Immigrants and refugees will receive better support, allowing them to participate more fully in the community.
L’Accueil Sainte - Famille Inc.
Project: Helpline for Abuse Victims
Location: Tracadie-Sheila, NB
Objective: To improve helpline services for victims of sexual abuse and to develop anonymous and confidential counselling services. To organize training sessions for professionals to better understand and meet victims’ needs in terms of psychological or medical assistance.
Impact: Increase the number of calls taken from abuse victims and the number of training sessions available to staff.
Valley Child Development Association
Project: Behavioural Intervention Program
Location: Kings and West Hants Counties of the Annapolis Valley, NS
Objective: To hire a Behavioural Interventionist who will support families whose children’s social and emotional development is adversely affected by behaviours such as extreme anxiety, aggression, selective mutism, and lack of empathy, impulse control, focus or emotional regulation.
Impact: Children’s caregivers will be better equipped to deal with abnormal behaviour and will have the tools to advocate for the special needs of their children.
CMHA Halifax-Dartmouth Branch
Project: Social Support Access Project
Location: Halifax, NS
Objective: Hire a social support access coordinator to identify and reduce barriers to programs and activities for severely isolated adults living with mental illness and to increase the volunteer capacity in order to support this initiative.
Impact: Provide more support for and reduced isolation of those suffering from mental illness.
Distress Centre Peel
Project: AAS Crisis Line Worker Certification & Pre-Training
Location: Mississauga, ON
Objective: To ensure that the Distress Centre’s front-line volunteers achieve the American Association of Suicidology’s Crisis Line Certification. Preparation for this certification will include training on suicide assessment, prevention and intervention specific to people with mental health and addictions issues.
Impact: 25% of the over 200 front-line volunteers will receive training for this crisis line certification.
Kitchener-Waterloo Counselling Services Inc.
Project: Enhancing Attachment (for biological parents)
Location: Kitchener, ON
Objective: To adapt current Enhancing Attachment Curricula to an eight-week program for biological parents and offer them group treatment.
Impact: Improve childrens well-being and foster their relationship with their parents. Decrease admission to care services.
Ancoura
Project: Third Ancoura Residence
Location: Ottawa, ON
Objective: To help provide an affordable, safe and supportive three-bedroom residence for persons living with mental illness by delivery training and orientation for volunteers.
Impact: Support for residents will be enhanced through the efforts of well-trained volunteers.
Kids Help Phone/Jeunesse J’écoute
Project: Instant Messaging ‘chat’
Location: Toronto, ON
Objective: To improve counselling to children and youth by introducing an Instant Messaging pilot project with synchronisation of requests at peak periods to facilitate immediate response. This innovative service will be free of charge and will complement existing telephone and website services.
Impact: Reduction in client frustration, quicker responses to those in crisis or time-sensitive situations, safer access for kids at risk and greater reach to males and older youth.
Hospital for Sick Children
Project: Enhancing Children’s Mental Health Services in Nunavut
Location: Toronto (ON) and Nunavut communities
Objective: This pilot project targets primary care clinicians in three children’s mental health facilities in Nunavut. The project consists of twelve 1½-hour consultations, four 2-hour training sessions and three 1-hour planning conferences, as well as the creation of a reference library. Clinical and community issues, including youth behaviours, treatments and advocacy, will be addressed.
Impact: Better-trained staff to compensate for the shortage of specialist child and mental health resources in northern communities.
Serenity Renewal for Families
Project: Youth Services Development Project
Location: Ottawa, ON
Objective: To hire a youth worker to help address the mental health needs of young people from five to 16 years of age. To help parents maintain healthy and open relationships with these children.
Impact: Increase the number of youth served and organise at least one community-building event for youth.
Salvation Army Hamilton - Community and Family Services
Project: The Salvation Army Suicide Prevention Services
Location: Hamilton, ON
Objective: To update and enhance the existing technology (telephone and computer systems) in order to provide online support, online training and expansion of the crisis line to offer toll-free calling and On Demand Call Service.
Impact: Increased awareness and prevention efforts through improved the availability of telephone and online support services.
Lutherwood
Project: Cambridge Mental Health Walk-In Clinic
Location: Waterloo, ON
Objective: Establish a walk-in service that provides quick access to counselling, support and referral in a “single-session” therapy model for families with children up to 18 years of age.
Impact: Support for 150 to 200 children suffering from mental illness.
Community Living Toronto
Project: Dual Diagnostic Training
Location: Toronto, ON
Objective: To increase the capacity of professionals by providing them with the necessary skills to work effectively with people facing an intellectual disability and a mental health disorder. Direct service training on mental illness and dual diagnosis will be delivered to front-line staff.
Impact: The project will increase staff awareness and understanding of mental health issues as they affect people who have an intellectual disability. There will be a reduction of risk behaviours associated with individuals with a dual diagnosis who are working with a fully trained staff.
Workman Arts Project of Ontario
Project: From Training to Creation to Presentation
Location: Toronto, ON
Objective: To directly support Workman Arts’ members with a mental illness or an addiction, by helping them build the necessary skills to present their art in a professional manner, in a public environment, on the same level as any other artist in the community. To this end, a part-time membership assistant will be hired and three members will be trained as instructors.
Impact: Increase current capacity of about 500 places for member artists by 100, enlarge the current membership of 250 by 25%, and increase artists’ incomes by 10%.
Oshawa Community Health Centre
Project: Seeking Safety
Location: Oshawa, ON
Objective: Seeking Safety is a present-focused group therapy treatment program designed for women who have experienced trauma and are struggling with substance abuse. The program explores, validates and normalizes emotional behavioural patterns arising from the trauma and from substance abuse. Self esteem is increased through the support of peers.
Impact: Acquisition of skills by participants, in terms of attaining personal safety, learning to ask for help, developing compassion for self and recognising warning signs. Measurable results will be compiled from mid-program evaluations and weekly topical feedback forms.
Oakville Crisis Centre
Project: System upgrade to support new programming
Location: Oakville, ON
Objective: This project will support a third inbound-call distress line and allow for expansion of services, including a new outbound-call Telecheck Service and a complementary online chat program for youth. It will also improve statistical tracking and volunteer support.
Impact: High risk repeat callers and isolated seniors will have access to better support. Volunteer hours will be more efficiently utilized, serving more people in the community. Performance of the system in respect of abandoned calls will be better monitored and measured.
Blue Hills Child and Family Centre
Project: Helping Families Help Themselves
Location: Aurora, ON
Objective: This program will assist families with children suffering from mental health problems to resolve immediate issues by providing assessment services, short-term family therapies, parenting group counselling and case-coordination with other family service providers within the community.
Impact: Reduce average wait time from eight months to less than two months for families seeking assistance and reduce the number of families requiring long-term assistance.
CMHA Grand River Branch
Project: Skills For Safer Living (Suicide-Intervention Support Group)
Location: Cambridge, ON
Objective: To convene two 20-week suicide-intervention skills development groups to help participants develop effective coping mechanisms and to serve as a first step toward longer-term help, reducing factors potentially contributing to suicidal behaviours.
Impact: Reduce the number of suicide attempts and promote long-term treatment.
CMHA Kingston
Project: Routes to Work
Location: Kingston/Frontenac/Lennox/Addington counties, ON
Objective: To create individual action plans for people with psychiatric disabilities. The plans will include training, practise interviews, resume writing and volunteer work experience to strengthen life and employability skills.
Impact: 100 people will participate in the program; the goal is to have 80% of those participating either returning to school or finding employment.
Ken Brown Recovery Home
Project: Community Support Program Enhancement: "Understanding and Living with our Addictions"
Location: Sault Ste. Marie, ON
Objective: To organize, convene and facilitate support groups to help male substance abusers to understand the causes, history and treatment of addiction. The support groups are meant to be educational and practical in nature, demonstrating the tools and techniques for sourcing and utilizing information to help enhance personal recovery.
Impact: Improved health and social function, reduced substance abuse and harm reduction.
ALPABEM
Project: Program and Service Coordinator
Location: Laval, QC
Objective: To hire a coordinator so as to increase the frequency of programs offered and develop new workshops for the families of people suffering from manic–depressive disorder.
Impact: A significant reduction in the number of people on wait lists for the programs and services offered.
Centres de prévention du suicideO2/AQPS
Project: Website 2.0 – Centres for Suicide Prevention
Location: Various locations in Quebec
Objective: To enable Quebec Centres for Suicide Prevention to provide better and more accessible services through the development of an interactive website.
Impact: Five suicide prevention centres will benefit from this initiative. These include centres in Chicoutimi, Baie-Comeau and Sherbrooke.
Our Harbour/Le Havre À Nous
Project: Our Harbour Enrichment Program
Location: Montreal South Shore, QC
Objective: To expand and enrich the English-language life-management programs offered by Our Harbour for adults with a mental illness. Two part-time, front-line coordinators will be engaged to deliver training regarding life skills, job readiness and goal-setting to residents living in the organization’s long-term housing facility. The coordinators will also mentor a group of volunteers.
Impact: Residents will have a better opportunity to experience personal growth, acquire more confidence, improve their social skills and gain greater autonomy over their lives.
Centre de crise de Québec
Project: Post-crisis Monitoring
Location: Quebec City, QC
Objective: To provide post-crisis monitoring services for patients facing psychiatric emergency during the six to 12-month waiting period between hospital treatment and their participation in programs offered by the Centre de santé et de services sociaux.
Impact: Increase the number of patients monitored during the transition period.
Centre Périnatal – Le Berceau
Project: Les Mères-veilleuses
Location: Beloeil, QC
Objective: To establish a support group for mothers suffering from postnatal depression and prevent infant attachment disorders.
Impact: Improve the psychological well-being of mothers and the care provided to infants.
Le Mûrier
Project: Building Culinary Skills
Location: Montreal, QC
Objective: To enable schizophrenia patients to participate in the preparation of their own meals, including weekly meal-planning, budget management, grocery shopping, cooking meals and preserving food.
Impact: Enhance patients’ autonomy, self esteem and nutritional health.
JEVI - Prévention de suicide Estrie
Project: On Guard Against Suicide
Location: Sherbrooke, QC
Objective: To develop a stronger and more efficient assistance network in the Sherbrooke area by recruiting and training volunteers to provide post-crisis monitoring services for people with suicidal tendencies.
Impact: Well-trained volunteers with the skills and knowledge necessary to help community members at risk of suicide.
Société québécoise de la schizophrénie
Project: Training Helpers
Location: Hochelaga, QC
Objective: To train peers and relatives of schizophrenia patients so as to increase accessibility to immediate help to those in crisis. The 25-hour training program will include testimonials and lessons on how to provide psychosocial support.
Impact: Improved on-the-spot response to schizophrenics suffering from psychotic episodes.
Les Impatients
Project: Development of New Artistic Workshops
Location: Montreal
Objective: To draft a training manual for art therapists to be used in new creative workshops in the Greater Montreal Area for people suffering from mental illness. The manual will set out the content for the workshops and identify the materials required for each workshop activity.
Impact: Increase the number and quality of workshops and exhibitions.
La Lueur de l’espoir
Project: Supporting Families of Youth Suffering from Mental Disorders
Location: Rimouski
Objective: To provide support for relatives of youth suffering from depression, anxiety and behavioural disorders. Training sessions, information meetings and support groups will all be used to provide some backing for the families of those suffering from mental disorders. Also, school visits will be made to sensitise junior high school students about the difficulties faced by their peers with mental disorders.
Impact: Equip those close to youth suffering from mental disorders with a better understanding of the illness and with some tools to help them provide assistance and support.
Expression Lasalle Centre Communautaire en santé mentale
Project: Healing Through Art Therapy
Location: LaSalle, QC
Objective: To introduce additional weekly art therapy support groups, individual sessions and assessments at no charge for people with mental health disorders.
Impact: Decrease from 200 to 100 the number of people waiting for art therapy services.
CMHA - Swift Current
Project: Art Expression
Location: Swift Current, SK
Objective: This ten-week program will allow clients suffering from mental illness and addiction to learn more about themselves through creative expression.
Impact: The program will increase clients’ personal growth and development and provide an opportunity for social interaction.
Yorkton Mental Health Drop In Centre Inc.
Project: The Becoming Clubhouse
Location: Yorkton, SK
Objective: Hire a full-time staff person to facilitate support groups for young adults suffering from psychiatric illness or substance abuse. Workshops on mental health issues and healthy living will be delivered and recreational and leisure activities will be offered.
Impact: Increased self-esteem and self-confidence for participants and access to new support services.
Thunder Creek Rehabilitation Association Inc.
Project: Weekend Community Outreach (Weekend Patrol)
Location: Moose Jaw, SK
Objective: To increase the number of outreach workers to offer weekend support to adults in the community experiencing chronic, severe mental illness.
Impact: Potential reduction in suicides, psychiatric unit admissions and demand for police and emergency services.
Central Urban Métis Federation Inc.
Project: Promoting Mental Health for Persons Affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and Other Cognitive Disabilities
Location: Saskatoon, SK
Objective: Hire a part-time counsellor/facilitator to improve community response to residents who have Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, or other cognitive disabilities. On-site addiction and relationship counselling will be provided, as will advice on anger management, family violence and coping mechanisms.
Impact: More effective treatment and improved self-esteem, self-confidence and mental health of clients.