Northeastern Ontario MPs announce investment of $215,290 for young people’s mental health
January 25, 2023
Sudbury – Young people have been disproportionally impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, with social isolation, virtual learning challenges, job insecurity, and financial hardship worsening their mental health and well-being.
Today, the Honourable Anthony Rota, Member of Parliament for Nipissing-Timiskaming and Speaker of the House of Commons, Viviane Lapointe, Member of Parliament for Sudbury, and Marc G. Serré, Member of Parliament for Nickel Belt and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Official Languages, announced $215,290 in funding to YMCA of Northeastern Ontario. The funding will support the scaling up and expansion of the “Y Mind” and “Mind Medicine” evidence-based, youth-informed, early intervention programs across Canada.
The programs are intended for young people aged 13-30 years of age who are experiencing mild to moderate anxiety and/or depression and aim to support the development of effective coping skills and improvements to participants’ overall well-being. Y Mind introduces them to evidence-based tools and connects them with peers and experienced professionals. Mind Medicine, an adapted version of Y Mind, has been developed specifically for Indigenous young people, and will be implemented in partnership with Indigenous-serving organizations and communities.
This announcement is part of a $100 million investment provided in Budget 2021 to support projects that promote mental health and prevent mental illness in populations disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Quotes
“Young people were disproportionally impacted by the pandemic and many are still struggling with their mental health and wellness. This program through the YMCA of Northeastern Ontario is a step in the right direction to help young people in Nipissing-Timiskaming get the resources they need and remove the barriers to mental health supports. Congratulations to Helen Francis and the entire team at the YMCA on their hard work and dedication to bring a program like this to our area.” – The Honourable Anthony Rota, Member of Parliament for Nipissing-Timiskaming and Speaker of the House of Commons
“Mental health promotion and prevention are critical components for wellbeing. Today’s funding for the expansion of the YMCA ‘YMind’ and ‘Mind Medicine’ Programs will help teens and young adults in Sudbury manage stress, anxiety, and give them the tools and support needed to improve mental health. By creating low-barrier access and more inclusive programming, ‘YMind’ will directly impact the wellbeing of youth right here in our community. It is essential that we continue to support programming like ‘YMind’ and ‘Mind Medicine’.” - Viviane Lapointe, Member of Parliament Sudbury
“Congratulations to YMCA Canada for adopting this profoundly valuable program. The people of Northeastern Ontario are in very good hands thanks to their dedicated CEO/President Helen Francis and entire team. This funding, will assist youth in Nickel Belt who were disproportionally impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. It will lower barriers to accessing mental health support through the expansion of its “Y Mind” and “Mind Medicine” programs. We must continue to support programs like these, which aim to improve youth mental health and well-being in the Nickel Belt region and throughout Canada.” – Marc G. Serré, Member of Parliament for Nickel Belt and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Official Languages
“The YMCA of Northeastern Ontario is thrilled to receive the funding from the Government of Canada to allow us to host the YMind program. We know that helping teens and youth find constructive ways to manage mild to moderate stress and anxiety helps them to build resilience and can prevent a further deterioration of mental wellness. It is an important addition to the holistic approach we take to provide holistic health and wellness services to the community.”- Helen Francis, CEO YMCA Northeastern Ontario
