OTTAWA, April 15, 2020 /CNW/ - COVID-19 is a global public health challenge that has changed the daily lives of people around the world. During these difficult times, it is critical that Canadians be able to obtain credible information and access services to support their mental health and wellbeing.
That's why today, the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Health, launched a new portal dedicated to mental wellness on Canada.ca/coronavirus and the Canada COVID-19 app. Wellness Together Canada will connect Canadians to peer support workers, social workers, psychologists and other professionals for confidential chat sessions or phone calls, and will make it easier to find credible information and help address mental health and substance use issues.
The portal is the result of the work of a broad consortium of organizations with experience in providing digital mental health and substance use support, including Stepped Care Solutions, Kids Help Phone, Homewood Health, Greenspace Health, the Mental Health Commission of Canada, and the Canadian Psychological Association.
Quotes
"Mental wellness is difficult to maintain with the disruptions happening now. It's not easy to maintain a routine. People in every community are struggling and need our help. That's why we are acting today to make it easier for Canadians to identify, understand and address issues they are facing, with multiple tools and resources available on one platform."
The Honourable Patty Hajdu
Minister of Health
Quick Facts
- COVID-19 results in varying degrees of stress for many Canadians who do not have ready access to their regular support networks. The entire suite of tools on Wellness Together Canada will offer Canadians different levels of support depending on their need, ranging from information and self-assessment tools, to the opportunity to chat with peer support workers and other professionals.
- The launch of Wellness Together Canada builds on the support of $7.5 million provided to Kids Help Phone to meet increased demand to provide young people with the mental health support they need during this difficult time, as a result of school closures and reduced access to community resources.
Associated Links
Wellness Together Canada
Canada COVID-19 mobile app
SOURCE Health Canada
Contacts: Cole Davidson, Office of the Minister of Health, 613-957-0200; Media Relations, Health Canada, 613-957-2983, [email protected]; Public Inquiries: 1-833-784-4397
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