Media Advisory - Kids Help Phone and Bell Let's Talk team up to talk to students about mental health

CALGARY, Feb. 4, 2013 /CNW/ - Kids Help Phone and Bell Let's Talk are visiting a select number of schools in Canada to talk to young people about mental health and end the stigma around mental illness. 

Who:	Special guest Clara Hughes, six-time Canadian Olympic medalist and national spokesperson for Bell Let's Talk
	Lucas Allard, Clinical Outreach Manager, Kids Help Phone

What: Through presentations and role-play interactions, students will learn to demystify common misconceptions about mental health, understand that many people experience mental health struggles, and learn about essential supports like Kids Help Phone.

Where:	Langevin School
	107-6A Street, NE
	Calgary. Alberta

When: February 5, 2013 

Why: It is estimated that 10-20% of young people in Canada are affected by a mental illness or disorder - the single most disabling group of disorders worldwide - but only 1 out of 5 youth receives the mental health services they need.

Talking about mental health helps challenge misunderstanding, helps increase the confidence of young people to talk about mental health concerns, and ultimately seek help for whatever issue they may be facing - big or small - as an important part of working towards good mental health.

About Kids Help Phone
Kids Help Phone is a Canadian and world leader, known for our expertise in providing vital, innovative, and professional counselling services to children and youth. Since 1989 we have offered children, teens and young adults in Canada a critical lifeline of hope and support, through our free, anonymous and confidential service. Our professional counsellors support the mental health and well-being of young people ages five to 20, in urban, rural, and remote communities, by providing one-on-one counselling, information and resources online and by phone. Our internationally recognized, award-winning websites are considered a model of child-focused interactive design, and offer online counseling forums and engaging, therapeutic games, tools and information to encourage resilience and self-care. A community-based national charity, Kids Help Phone receives no core government funding and relies on community and corporate support to keep our essential service available. We're there for the 6.5 million young people in Canada, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, in English and in French.

*Source: represents the age group Kids Help Phone serves (from 5 to 20) according to Statistics Canada, CANSIM, table 051-0001. Last modified: 2010-09-29.

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Bell Let's Talk Day is February 12
For every text message or long distance call made by Bell and Bell Aliant customers and every tweet using #BellLetsTalk and every Facebook share of our Bell Let's Talk message on February 12, Bell will donate another 5 cents to programs dedicated to mental health (regular long distance and text charges apply). Last year's Bell Let's Talk Day raised $3,926,014.20 in additional funding for mental health initiatives across the country.

About Bell
Bell is Canada's largest communications company, providing consumers and business with solutions to all their communications needs: Bell Mobility wireless, high-speed Bell Internet, Bell Satellite TV and Bell Fibe TV, Bell Home Phone local and long distance, and Bell Business Markets IP-broadband and information and communications technology (ICT) services. Bell Media is Canada's premier multimedia company with leading assets in television, radio and digital media, including CTV, Canada's #1 television network, and the country's most-watched specialty channels. Bell is wholly owned by BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE). For Bell products and services, please visit Bell.ca. For BCE corporate information, please visit BCE.ca.

SOURCE: Kids Help Phone

Liz Worth
Communications Coordinator, Kids Help Phone
Phone: [phone]
[email protected]