The economic burden of mental illness in Canada is estimated at $51 billion per year. This includes health care costs, lost productivity, and reductions in health-related quality of life.

On average, 2,600 clients receive treatment from the Canadian Mental Health Association, Windsor-Essex County Branch (CMHA-WECB) annually for moderate to severe mental illness.

Education and training are key areas not fully funded by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. Yet they are key to shifting the tide of mental health stigma.

Bereavement counselling for both children and adults can help those struggling with the loss of a loved one and mitigate the need for more intensive intervention later on.

The Sole Focus Project aims to ease societal and financial burdens on those with a mental health issue, addiction, or the bereaved, by raising funds towards mental wellness education and awareness, providing training and treatment, and community support.

The more resources and services we can make available to those in need of help, the more we can ensure a mentally healthy Windsor & Essex County, overall.

CMHA-WECB’s sole focus is mental wellness.

The Sole Focus Project seeks to create a legacy fund to further enhance and distribute mental wellness education, awareness and training in our community.

Gifts to the Sole Focus Project will help to fund these initiatives about mental health and wellness to targeted groups, including emerging adults, veterans, newcomers and workplaces.

Specifically, gifts to the Sole Focus Project will enable:

• Sustainability of programs partially or not at all funded by the government, including mental health education and training, and bereavement services
• An increased number of training sessions on mental wellness
• Suicide prevention
• Workplace wellness
• Provide greater outreach within the community by attending health fairs, making presentations to students and developing community awareness campaigns
• Increased outreach with and resources for post-secondary students

What does having mental wellness as our sole focus mean for our community?

• 4,567 youth engaged
• 257 schools engaged
• 16 health fairs and 22 presentations/workshops delivered to post-secondary students and staff
• 17 health fairs and 49 presentations made to grade schools and secondary schools
• Talk Today program delivered to 857 grade 5-8 students at four schools
• 300 grade 10 students participated in the Youth Mental Health Summit, a full day of break-out sessions and speakers discussing mental health and wellness topics
• Mental Health Youth Outreach Worker contracted at St. Clair College 4 days/week
• Suicide Prevention Awareness Week planning with community partners to bring suicide awareness to the community and provide training for people to become suicide alert
• Formation of Suicide Prevention Coalition working towards a Zero Suicide community
• 2,028 employees at 312 workplaces received workshops and training on mental health and wellness

Ultimately it means people living more full lives.

The more we talk about mental illness, the more we can and will reduce stigma.

The key to starting this conversation is education and awareness. Education empowers individuals to pay the same attention to their mental health as they do their physical health. Individuals are then able to focus on the signs and symptoms to look for, what tools are available, and where to go for help.

Your mental health is affected by numerous factors from your daily life, including the stress of balancing work with your health and relationships.

Click here and link to resources to help you stay mentally fit and healthy.