Menu

mental health

4g LTE Apple Computers Display cell phone cellphone

Social media detox could help young adults with mental health: study

,

A social media detox might help your mental health, if you are a young adult.

A recent paper from a Boston medical centre studied 300 adults between 18 and 24 who avoided social media for a week.

It found people had fewer symptoms of depression, anxiety, and insomnia.

However, it did not make them feel less lonely.

Overall, they say it is not necessarily about how much you use the apps.

But if social media is getting in the way of your life, then your mental health is more likely to be affected.

tfs3562-tpuc-i-m-aiming-for-2000-nov-23

Push for Better the Push-up Challenge

, , , , ,

https://www.thepushupchallenge.ca/fundraisers/michellecarter/the-push-up-challenge

Hey there!

I am Michelle Carter and I am participating in the push-up challenge! Dedicating my push-ups to an old friend Spencer, I’ve teamed up with my cousin-in-law Steph, who has dedicated hers to her mom, and we couldn’t be more excited! Over the month of February we will be completing a set goal everyday, (except Sundays phew), until we complete 2000 push-ups! We will be donating any funds raised to CMHA – Kenora once the challenge is completed. Any donations are greatly appreciated and can be given through the link at the top of this entry. Also, if you’d like to join go right ahead! We would be happy to have you! 🙂

I will be updating DAILY to hold myself accountable.

Michelle

Day ONE

 

I’VE BEEN SLACKING!!!! but I caught up to day 7!

Day 21 – 6 days behind but i’m catching up!!!

CMHA Fundraiser

End of the Challenge

I successfully completed 1000 out of the 2000 we were challenged. Next year I will challenge myself again and make it!

Thank you for following this Journey and maybe next year we can make a bigger team of participants! 🙂

doug-ford-in-timmins-2

Ford Insists Opioid Crisis Being Addressed

, , , , , , , , , , , ,

PC leader Doug Ford is defending his party’s record when it comes to the opioid crisis in northern Ontario.

Several communities have seen a rise in overdoses and related-death in the last few years.

Speaking yesterday in Timmins, Ford says tackling the issue has been a priority.

“Actually, we are getting it done. We’re the only government that made sure we had a Minister of Mental Health and Addiction. We’ve done the largest investment in Canadian history of $3.8 billion,” says Ford.

He says that is far and above what the Liberals did when they were in power.

“They did absolutely nothing. They never had a Minister of Mental Health and Addiction. They didn’t put a red cent into mental health and addiction. We’re putting $3.8 billion. I understand it’s an issue here, and we’re going to continue investing and make sure that we help people that have an addiction or have any mental health issues.”

The budget brought forward before the election call included an investment of $204 million into mental health programs.

Recently, a report issued by the Northern Policy Institute presented to local leaders concluded that local municipalities are finding themselves cash strapped in dealing with homelessness, addictions and mental issues.

Analyst and Author Holly Parsons, “All health units in northern Ontario have seen a general increase in opioid-related emergency department visits, with more drastic increases experienced in Northwest Health Unit, Porcupine Health Unit and Public Health Sudbury and District.”

Parsons makes eight recommendations, including creating a northern mental health and addictions centre of excellence to address the unique challenges of service delivery in the region.

She stresses one-size-fits-all policies and standardized systems of care don’t always work up here.

It was a quiet day for the other provincial party leaders on Sunday.

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath hosted a Mother’s Day brunch in Ayr.

Green Party leader Mike Schreiner held private meetings with residents in his riding of Guelph.

Liberal leader Steven Del Duca opted to do no campaigning on Mother’s Day.

TkEJiq0WaPI-scaled-1

More $$$ To Keep Kids Safe Online & In Class

, , , , , , , , , ,

The province is offering up more money to help keep kids safe while in class and online.

Another $550k is being put up by Ontario officials to supporting funding aimed at fighting sex-trafficking, violence against women, bullying and cyber bullying.

Funds will be split between seven organizations that provide support, prevention education and advocacy around sex trafficking (and it’s victims), suicide prevention, gender equality and sexual diversity for 2SLGBTQ+ mental health and more.

The organizations included in the invest are:

The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health reports that 23 per cent of Ontario students get bullied at school and 22 per cent of are bullied online.

Statistics Canada found these figures:

  • 95 per cent of victims of police-reported human trafficking were women and girls
  • 22 per cent of police-reported victims of human trafficking are children under the age of 18
  • Most of all police-reported incidents of human trafficking in Canada occur in Ontario

More details on the groups that will be receiving the funding can be found here.

steven-lecce-feb-18

Province Announcing New Supports For Students

, , , , , , , , , , ,

Ontario’s Education Ministry is out with a five-point plan to address the learning issues arising from the pandemic.

The plan includes comprehensive tutoring programs, support for student mental health and well-being, strengthening numeracy and literacy skills, modernizing the curriculum and resuming standardized testing.

Minister Stephen Lecce says the signature component is $176 million to expand tutoring programs.

“It will allow children in all schools, all publicly funded schools, to have access to small groups on average of five students available after schools, sometimes during schools, during spares, for example, and on weekends,” says Lecce.

Programs are to be in place by this April.

Lecce is also allowing school boards to work with other community groups to create tutoring programs.

Some of them will likely be available online.

Another $90 million will be spent on programs that support the mental health and well-being of students.

Lecce says the money will help school boards assist students who are experiencing mental health challenges that impact their learning.

The funding will also help retain the existing mental health workers in schools.

Standardized testing will take place this spring for students in grades 3 and 6 to assess their learning levels.

There are also additional funds for summer school programs.

The $600 million initiative is part of the $26.6 billion earmarked for school boards in the 2022-23 school year.

That’s a $680 million increase over the amount provided for the current school year.

“No government in Ontario history has invested more in public education, tutoring supports, mental health, and special education than ours led by Premier Ford,” says Lecce. “We are bridging learning gaps that have emerged over the past years through a massive increase in small group tutoring programs and through the expansion of mental health supports to benefit children across all schools in Ontario.”

School boards will still be allowed to run virtually learning.

A breakdown of the provincial investments;

Increasing Investment to School Boards

  • *A $683.9 million increase in Grants for Student Needs (GSN) funding, with projected total funding of $26.1 billion. This represents a 2.7 per cent increase from 2021-22
  • Average per pupil GSN funding is projected to rise to $13,059, which is an increase of $339 or a 2.7 per cent increase from 2021-22
  • Over $500 million in Priorities and Partnerships Funding (PPF)
  • $90 million in total mental health investments, representing a 420 per cent increase in funding since 2017-18
  • $15 million to deliver expanded summer learning opportunities
  • $92.9 million increase in Special Education Grant funding through the GSN where it is projected to increase to over $3.25 billion, the highest amount ever provided in Special Education Grant funding
  • $304 million in time-limited additional staffing supports, through the COVID-19 Learning Recovery Fund as part of the GSN. This funding will go towards the hiring of an estimated 3,000 front-line staff – including teachers, early childhood educators, educational assistants, and other education workers to address learning recovery.
  • The government is also continuing to provide $1.4 billion for the repair and renewal of schools for the 2022-23 school year.
rickford

$36M Supporting Indigenous Mental Health

, , , ,

Province providing funds for mental health and addictions supports in Indigenous communities.

The money will be utilized for urgent trauma supports for residential school survivors and their families, as well as Indigenous-led student, youth, and gender focused services.

More than $20-million of this investment will go towards Indigenous focused mental health and addiction assistance for residential school survivors.

The other $16-million is devoted to investments into Indigenous services in line with the Roadmap to Wellness.

Include is money for culturally adapted youth and mental health supports for students, Indigenous-specific victim services, and the development of an Indigenous driven opioid strategy after an increase in use and deaths since the start of the pandemic.

“I think it’s fair to say that we understand the pandemic has disproportionally impacted Indigenous peoples, especially those living with mental health and addiction challenges,” explains Minister of Indigenous Affairs Greg Rickford. “Access in First Nations and urban Indigenous communities has been limited and we hope today we’re taking a powerful and important step forward to change that, and that’s why Indigenous partners have proved to be so important in coming to an understanding of how we can best provide those services.”

Rickford stressed the importance of Indigenous led initiatives that are community driven are crucial in best providing these supports.

“I only hope that we do carry on how we’ve been working from here forward, because again, the people we represent are watching and listening to us,” said Ontario Regional Chief Glen Hare. “We know that the needs are the greatest at the community level, and at all the communities across Ontario. We need to sit with the leadership and listen to them, because they are the ones that are fighting everyday. They look to us for days like this any many more I hope.”

img-1851-scaled-1

Plea For Indigenous Mental Health Supports

, , , , , , , ,

A call for more mental health supports from both the provincial and federal governments.

Three deaths over a 36-hour period on Wunnumin Lake First Nation (population 600) prompted Thursday’s event at the Valhalla Inn which featured Chief Sam Mamakwa and Deputy Chief Dean Cromarty alongside Nishnawbe Aski Nation Grand Chief Derek Fox, and Deputy Grand Chiefs Anna Betty Achneepineskum, Victor Linklater, and Bobby Narcisse.

Wunnumin Lake First Nation is located about 360-kilometres northeast of Sioux Lookout, and is only accessible by air or seasonal winter roads.

The first was a 20-year-old man who fell from a communications tower. The incident is still under investigation.

A youth who witnessed the fall, a cousin of the deceased, later took his own life.

It is not known how many others saw the fall, but the communications tower is visible from the majority of the community.

The third death was an Elder, who passed away in a long-term care home outside of the community with the family not being notified until a day after the death.

“I traveled to Wunnumin with Grand Chief Fox and Deputy Grand Chief Anna Betty Achneepineskum, and witnessed the travesty of the ongoing lack of services, and lack of mental health supports in our First Nation communities especially in Wunnumin Lake and our remote communities,” says Deputy Grand Chief Narcisse. “We ask the provincial and federal governments what they’re going to do to assist Wunnumin Lake First Nation community”

Wunnumin leadership say they have already talked to dozens of people who witnessed the fall, noting this is a tight-knit community, so everyone who saw the incident has been heavily affected by it.

“When you take into account all these people that saw this event happen, just put yourself in their shoes and imagine watching someone you know fall off of a tower at 300 feet or so,” explains NAN Grand Chief Derek Fox, “The key here is that they don’t want to lose anymore lives.”

Wunnumin Lake First Nation is now asking for permanent solutions.

 

Leadership of Wunnumin Lake have laid out three specific supports they want from the provincial and federal governments:

• provide immediate mental health and intervention supports on an urgent basis;
• provide additional policing and security to support the community; and
• work with the community to establish dedicated mechanisms, with capacity-building and
resources, to empower the community to respond to similar emergencies in the future.

LISTEN: NAN Deputy Grand Chief Bobby Narcisse


opp-patch-on-officer-shoulder

OPP Partner With Mental Health Workers

, , , , ,

The province is highlighting a $8.4-million investment over the next four years to bring mental health workers to OPP call centres.

The program began in London, Ontario before coming to Thunder Bay in May, and will be rolled out to more centres this year.

The money was part of this year’s provincial budget.

Solicitor General Sylvia Jones announced one worker will be assigned to each centre can help de-escalate situations or connect callers with the right services.

“A traditional enforcement response is not always the most appropriate approach,” Jones said. “Responding to persons-in-crisis-related calls requires a special combination of skills and expertise.”

Jones said this will keep officers from spending time and resources on non-emergency calls that they aren’t suited for.

“Our officers respond to thousands of mental health calls a year,” said OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique. “The Crisis Call Diversion Program not only reduces the use of police personnel for non-emergent responses when appropriate, but also helps individuals experiencing mental health crises by offering better pathways to meet their needs and supporting the de-stigmatization of mental health.”

The OPP has also created a Crisis Call Diversion Development and Implementation Guide to share with other police services and health partners considering similar programs or initiatives.

 

50651912413_46598febd3_b

LU To Study Mental Health, Exercise Amid COVID

, , , , , ,

Lakehead University is getting a $25,000 grant to study how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted student’s physical activity and mental health.

Professor Ian Newhouse and Associate Professor Erin Pearson, both from Lakehead University’s School of Kinesiology, will be heading the research.

Dr. Pearson explains she’s noticed trends in university students’ physical activity since the start of the pandemic.

“Interestingly, what we’ve seen is that some people have actually increased their physical activity during COVID to cope, or as a form of stress release, whereas others have had their levels decline or stay at zero,” she notes.

Dr. Pearson feels this is an important subject to study.

“This has been a really hard year, and for university students in particular we’ve seen evidence of poor mental health, partly in response to the remote learning shift and lots of really important life facets,” she explains. “Because we’re researchers in the School of Kinesiology, we are interested in learning more about physical activity and how that can be used as a health promoting strategy in various populations.”

Dr. Newhouse says the this project would last around a year.

“We’re just bringing it through ethics now and we hope to recruit our participants in September, and we’ll do the quantitative portion of this study that first semester. Interviews would follow in February of next year,” he says.

This study will help identify barriers to physical activity and the connection to student mental health, and help develop future programs to benefit students.

nan-flag

NAN Receives Federal Funding For Mental Health Program

, , ,

The Nishnawbe Aski Nation is on the receiving end of more than $2.6-million to support its Mental Health and Addictions Pandemic Response Program.

The money will help fund programs and services to assist those impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Federal Minister of Indigenous Services Marc Miller says the initiative will identify the mental health and wellness services that are already available, and bridge the existing gaps so that every individual can have access to 24/7 culturally safe and community-based mental health services when needed.

The Sioux Lookout First Nations Health Authority and KO eHealth will run the program.

It’s designed to provide community members with equal access to high-quality, culturally safe substance use treatment and mental health services with direct from First Nations communities.

 

Load More