Youth Mental Health Project seeks to improve mental health of youth across Canada

BY PAUL JUNOR

The issue of youth mental health has been front and centre of attention as teachers, parents, caregivers and health providers look for ways to address mental health issues.

The Youth Mental Health Project was created to: educate, empower and support families and communities to better understand and care for the mental health of our youth. As a grassroots, non-profit organization, it envisions a world where people are just as aware of their mental health as their physical health, where families are validated and able to readily access the care they need. It hosts events and speakerships in order to remove the shame, blame, misunderstanding, and silence around mental health.

Committed individuals who are part of the Youth Mental Health Project believe that:

• Mental health lies on a continuum that includes our emotional, mental, psychological, and social well-being
• A healthy mind is as important as a healthy body
• In order to address the devastating consequences of the current mental health crisis, early intervention and prevention must become the norm

The Youth Mental Health Project celebrated Mental Health Awareness Week from October 2^nd, 2022 – October 8^th, 2022. It brought attention to the issues faced by LGBTQ youth and presented a webinar for college students and parents on how best to access mental health services at school. On its Facebook page, it notes, “This is a moment to celebrate the strength and resilience it takes to get through every single day. We all have mental health just as we have physical health, and it is on a spectrum of different living conditions.”

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau released a statement, “This year’s theme for World Mental Health Day is ‘Make mental health and well-being for all a global priority.’ We are working with our global partners to make mental health care a global reality around the world. This includes supporting experienced humanitarian partners worldwide in providing life savings immediate assistance in providing life-saving immediate assistance, such as psychosocial support in emergency settings and helping address the mental health needs of people in low-and middle-income countries, in particular young people.”

He acknowledges that over the last few years the mental health of Canadians has been deeply impacted, which has resulted in higher levels of depression and anxiety. He mentioned that the Wellness Together Canada portal was launched to provide free resources for mental health and substance use support 24/7 (wellnesstogether.ca) and

the PocketWell App as a new companion app to Wellness Together Canada. It can be used to complete your own self-assessment and to access free resources from your very own mobile device. In addition, there is an app-only feature: Mood Meter, which can be used to keep track of one’s feelings and the environments that are having an effect on one’s mood.

Brain Canada Foundation, which has partnered with YMHP, notes that this week was important because “We recognize that mental health is one of the most significant health burdens for Canadians and their families, causing an estimated $51 B in annual health care costs, lost productivity and reductions in quality of life.”

On Wednesday, October 26^th, 2022, YMHP plan to host a movie night that will feature the factual story of a young teenager who deals with the realities of a mental health condition while his mom engages in risky activities to save him. After the screening, there will be a talk back with the screenwriter and founder of YMHP, Randi Silverman. He will be joined by Emmy-nominated actress and lead in “No Letting Go,” Cheryl Allison. Registrations can be made at https://Instagram.com