Authorities of Canada invests $1.5 million to assist the psychological well being of Black communities

Funding is a part of a dedication of $100 million to assist these most affected by COVID-19.

TORONTO, Feb. 24, 2023 /CNW/ – Whereas many individuals in Canada battle with their psychological well being, sure teams face distinctive challenges due to systemic racism, discrimination, socio-economic standing or social exclusion. Additional, the COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionally impacted and exacerbated psychological well being challenges inside these fairness deserving communities. 

At the moment, throughout Black Historical past Month, the Honourable Carolyn Bennett, Minister of Psychological Well being and Addictions and Affiliate Minister of Well being, accompanied by the Honourable Marci Ien, Minister for Girls and Gender Equality and Youth, introduced near $1.5 million in funding to assist the psychological well being of Black people and communities.

Black Psychological Well being Canada is receiving $1.1 million for its mission to construct capability amongst clinicians to supply culturally protected and acceptable psychological well being counselling, and assist to Black purchasers who’ve skilled racial trauma or race-based traumatic stress. The mission will attain psychological well being clinicians throughout Canada, together with each Black suppliers treating Black people, in addition to non-Black suppliers working in areas with excessive proportions of Black clientele.

Wanasah: Psychological Well being Providers for Black Youth is receiving $400,000 for its mission to develop Black-centric, trauma-responsive neighborhood assist providers in Toronto’s Regent Park neighborhood. This initiative will take a community-driven participatory method to the event of culturally-safe, equity-focused psychological well being providers. It is going to additionally assist Black youth and their households to assist forestall and mitigate the impacts of numerous types of trauma exacerbated throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and post-pandemic restoration.

Quotes

“Black communities in Canada proceed to face many systemic challenges and obstacles to psychological well being care, and our authorities is dedicated to addressing them. The initiatives introduced right this moment will create environments for improved psychological well being outcomes and can be sure that Black people and communities throughout Canada experiencing psychological well being challenges have entry to essentially the most acceptable, culturally related helps and providers they want, by essentially the most acceptable supplier.”

The Honourable Carolyn Bennett
Minister of Psychological Well being and Addictions, and Affiliate Minister of Well being

“The highway to restoration is complicated for many who have skilled psychological well being challenges and trauma – particularly for individuals who face social exclusion, marginalization, and stigma. This why our authorities is proud to assist organizations like Black Psychological Well being Canada and Wanasah to construct Black-centric and trauma-responsive providers to higher serve the psychological well being wants of those communities.”

The Honourable Marci Ien
Minister for Girls and Gender Equality and Youth

“We’re honored and excited to obtain funding from the Public Well being Company of Canada to additional our mission of selling psychological well being and wellness in Black communities. With this funding, we will broaden our applications and providers to higher assist the psychological well being wants of Black Canadians, who’ve traditionally confronted systemic obstacles to accessing acceptable care. Our staff at Black Psychological Well being Canada is dedicated to working tirelessly to make sure that our communities obtain the assist they should thrive, and we thank the Public Well being Company of Canada for his or her funding in our work.”

Alice Wiafe, President
Black Psychological Well being Canada

“As everyone knows, Black communities have been subjected to an extended historical past of systemic racism, discrimination, and oppression, which has led to immense trauma, ache, and struggling. This trauma is intergenerational, and it impacts not solely people but in addition households, neighborhoods, and whole communities. With a Black Centric and Culturally Related trauma program in Regent Park and neighbouring communities, we may also help to rebuild belief, restore dignity, and promote a way of function and belonging. This isn’t nearly addressing previous trauma but in addition about constructing a greater future for generations to return.”

Namarig Ahmed
Government Director and Co-Founder, Wanasah: Psychological Well being Providers for Black Youth

Fast Details

• This announcement is a part of a $100 million funding offered in Funds 2021 to assist initiatives that promote psychological well being and stop psychological sickness in populations disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. By making strategic investments that acknowledge the particular challenges confronted by fairness deserving communities, the Authorities of Canada can be sure that folks get the assist they want, when and the place they want it.
• We’re dedicated to supporting the psychological well being of Canadians by means of the COVID-19 pandemic and past.
• On February 7, 2023, the Authorities of Canada introduced that it intends to work collaboratively with provinces and territories on shared well being priorities to enhance built-in well being look after Canadians, together with improved entry to high quality psychological well being and substance use providers.
• Psychological well being promotion and psychological sickness prevention are important elements for well-being and may also help scale back calls for on the well being care system. Group-based initiatives focussed on psychological well being promotion have the potential to enhance well being outcomes over the life course. 
• Renison College Faculty, on the College of Waterloo, is internet hosting a Information Growth and Change Hub (KDE Hub) for Psychological Well being Promotion to assist the initiatives funded by means of this funding, serving to to construct a neighborhood with shared pursuits in optimizing psychological well being promotion and psychological sickness prevention throughout Canada.
• The Wellness Collectively Canada portal offers free entry to academic content material, self-guided remedy, moderated peer-to-peer assist, and one-to-one counselling with certified well being professionals. Should you or a liked one is struggling, you’ll be able to entry the Wellness Collectively Canada portal, or name 1-866-585-0445 or textual content WELLNESS to 741741 (adults) or 686868 (youth).
• Youngsters Assist Telephone can also be obtainable 24/7 with e-mental well being service providing free, confidential assist to younger folks in English and French.

Related Hyperlinks

SOURCE Public Well being Company of Canada

For additional data: Maja Staka, Senior Communications Advisor and Press Secretary, Workplace of the Honourable Carolyn Bennett, Minister of Psychological Well being and Addictions and Affiliate Minister of Well being, 343-552-5568; Public Inquiries: 613-957-2991, 1-866-225-0709; Media Relations, Public Well being Company of Canada, 613-957-2983, [email protected]