Highlighting community-based programming for Mental Health Week (May 1-7, 2023)

Quebec City, on May 1, 2023- The Community Health and Social Services Network (CHSSN), in collaboration with the Quebec branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), are shining a spotlight on the amazing impacts community-based mental health care champions and communities are making in this post-pandemic recovery to support the mental health of all Quebecers.

“It’s a pleasure to collaborate with the CHSSN and its network of organizations committed to improving access to mental health programs and services for the English-speaking community across the province”, says Geneviève Fecteau, Executive Director of the Quebec branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association. She goes on to say that “this year’s campaign encourages individuals to share personal stories about their own mental health or how they are helping others by using the hashtags #MyStory and #MentalHealthWeek”

Jennifer Johnson, Executive Director of the CHSSN further explains that “Mental Health Week is a great opportunity to once more, promote the mental health services, resources and supports available in English to our community.” She elaborates by saying that mental health services are frequently not available in English and that English-speakers need to be persistent and resilient in their efforts to seek help for themselves and their loved ones.”

To address these challenges, the CHSSN receives funding from government and private foundations to support over 60 community-based organizations in Quebec to extend their mental health support services based on needs exacerbated by the COVID 19 pandemic.

Quick Facts:

Research shows that English-speakers in Quebec:
- were two times more likely, compared to the majority population, to have anxiety or depressive symptoms due to the COVID 19 pandemic;
- express challenges in accessing mental health programs and services in English;
- have high rates of social isolation and low socio-economic status. Both of which are proven to affect the mental health & well-being of populations.
11% of English-speaking fathers surveyed in a 2022 survey, said they have experienced suicidal ideation in the past year, a proportion almost twice that of Francophone fathers (6%).
90% of English-speaking youth responded in a 2021 survey on mental health that they felt mentally unwell within the previous two weeks of being surveyed.

More information online: https://www.mentalhealthweek.ca/

About CHSSN– Since 2020, Community Health and Social Services Network’s mission is to support the English-speaking communities in Quebec through promoting equitable access to health and social services in English and addressing social determinants of health by relationship building, knowledge sharing, empowering, and training.

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Contact:

Russell Kueber, Director of Programs, CHSSN, rkueber@chssn.org Cell: 418-951-5858

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