Canadian Mental Health Week is May 5th to 11th, with this year’s theme being Unmasking Mental Health.
In collaboration with Gastech Solutions Heating & Cooling, myFM is helping to “Unmask Mental Health” in our community, by highlighting some of the supports available to residents of St. Thomas and Elgin County.
Ashley Vito, is a Health Promoter on the Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention team at Southwestern Public Health. Her focus is on data related to mental health and wellness in our region, in particular with young people.
She points out, “Data is super important, and it’s at the core of everything we do in public health as it helps us understand the needs of the community, specifically, our direct community here at Southwestern Public Health.
“And when it comes to youth mental health, the data that we have shows us trends and identifies the risk factors.”
Vito zeroed in on data related to happiness and emotional well-being.
She stress the importance of distinguishing mental health from mental illness.
The health unit takes an upstream approach to dealing with a variety of health-related issues.
Vito explained, “It’s essentially going to the root of the problem and addressing these causes before people end up in a crisis.”
She continued, “So in terms of youth mental health, this upstream theory means building a strong foundation early and supporting early childhood development and creating inclusive school environments, promoting coping skills and resilience.
“Instead of waiting till a young person is in this crisis, we work to reduce the risks and preventative factors that strengthen the support before it gets there.”
Stress, pointed out Vito, is one of those risk factors.
If a family or primary caregiver has concerns that a young person may be experiencing mental health issues, Vito suggested a wise first step is to contact Southwestern Public Health and access their resources.
While this is Canadian Mental Health Week , Vito noted the importance of having an ongoing dialogue.
In terms of resources, the health unit list many on their website at https://www.swpublichealth.ca/my-health/mental-health/
These include:
1. 211 – This is a number that you can call to connect to social services programs and community support. Depending on what you call for, 211 will direct you to a direct source that can help that direct issue.
2. CAMH – We also refer clients and services to CAMH.
3. Wellkin – Specifically in St. Thomas, we have Wellkin, which is a child youth mental health service that offers accessible, compassionate programs and services to support both families and children. And it’s
free of charge.
4. Ignite Youth Centre – We also have the Ignite Youth Centre, which offers free programming. They’re also just starting a wellness series for community building and skill building.
Written by Ian McCallum
