Latest news with #CMHA
CTV News
3 days ago
- General
- CTV News
‘For the Love of Kate': Runway ride shines light on mental health in memory of Londoner
Kate Harris is seen in this undated photo (Source: For The Love of Kate I Ride) Warning: This article contains mentions of suicide. Take care when reading. The first ever 'Ride the Runway for Mental Health' event was held at London International Airport in support of the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA). The family-friendly event was put together by Doug Harris and his family in honour of his late daughter Kate, who died by suicide after struggling with mental health for years. 'My daughter Kate was a beautiful, bubbly, 32-year-old member of the Canadian Armed Forces stationed in Halifax. On the surface, nobody would have imagined that she was suffering internally with mental health issues,' said Kate's father, Doug Harris. 053125_For The Love of Kate I Ride the runway London airport Classic cars on display at the Ride the Runway event at London International Airport, May 31, 2025 (Reta Ismail/CTV News London) Dozens of people gathered to take part, by riding their bikes, walking, or running around a section of the runway at the London International Airport near the Jet Aircraft Museum. Several classic cars were also showcased on the runway. 'Events like this are so important, because in addition to the money raised, it also spreads more awareness of the types of help that are available to people,' said Kelly Morgan, Events Manager & Communications at CMHA. Since her passing in 2016, Kate's family has been active in spreading awareness and raising funds for mental health. In 2019, Kate's father Doug cycled over 2,200 kms from London, Ontario (Kate's birthplace) to Halifax, NS (where Kate lived and died), raising over $25,000 in support of London Ontario's St. Joseph's Healthcare Foundation. 'We didn't want her death to be in vain, we wanted to help other people. She helped other people, she just couldn't get the help herself,' said Brenda Harris. 053125_For The Love of Kate I Ride the runway London airport A poster for 'Ride the Runway' in London Ont., May 31, 2025 (Source: For The Love of Kate I Ride) Kate's brother, Will Harris says it's important to shine a light on mental health and end the stigma. 'My sister and I were very close. And, we had spoken at length when she was still around about her struggles, which, by her own words, started when she was about age seven,' continued Will. 'To to be here with family and friends in the community in support of, raising some money for the, well, it's the very least that we can do to honor her memory.' Learn more and donate here: For The Love of Kate I Ride 053125_For The Love of Kate I Ride the runway London airport Classic cars on display at the Ride the Runway event at London International Airport, May 31, 2025 (Reta Ismail/CTV News London) If you or someone you know is in crisis, here are some resources that are available. Canada Suicide Prevention Helpline (1-833-456-4566) Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (1 800 463-2338) Crisis Services Canada (1-833-456-4566 or text 45645) Kids Help Phone (1-800-668-6868) If you need immediate assistance call 911 or go to the nearest hospital.
Cision Canada
27-05-2025
- Health
- Cision Canada
CMHA National launches flexible mental health training for managers, ready for your LMS
TORONTO, May 27, 2025 /CNW/ - To meet the growing need for mental health training in workplaces, the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), National, has launched a first-of-its-kind offering: Not Myself Today ® for Managers — a fully LMS-compatible eLearning series designed to integrate directly into an organization's existing Learning Management System (LMS). This innovative model makes it easier for employers to implement mental health training, track and report on progress, and ensure consistency across their leadership teams. "What makes this different from our standard Not Myself Today ® program is the delivery model," says Katharine Coons, National Associate Director, Workplace Mental Health, CMHA National. "By bringing the training directly into an employer's LMS, we're making mental health learning more accessible and measurable by embedding it into everyday learning." With 3 in 5 employees experiencing work-related stress, there comes a cost when mental health at work is ignored. In fact, research shows that manager mental health training directly improves employee experience, well-being, and psychological safety. By providing mental health training to managers, organizations show a 28% reduction in work-related sick leave, 27% decrease in mental health disability duration, 20% reduction in related costs, and overall higher retention, productivity, and engagement. "The data shows that employees thrive when their managers demonstrate psychological safety, empathy, and confidence in navigating mental health topics," says Coons. "Training managers through a consistent, LMS-integrated experience ensures those leadership qualities are fostered at scale — and that no one gets left behind." Not Myself Today ® for Managers includes more than four hours of interactive, evidence-informed content, spread across five on-demand and self-paced courses, all designed to equip managers with the skills and confidence to support mental health at work. Topics include: Mental Health 101 Stress Management & Resilience Building Managing Workloads & Preventing Burnout Supporting Employee Mental Health Fostering a Positive Work Culture Features and benefits include: Interactive video simulations of real-life conversations Expert interviews and animated explainers Click-to-reveal interactions and knowledge checks Automated progress tracking and reporting A Mental Health Leadership Certificate upon completion And more Not Myself Today ® is an evidence-based mental health initiative by the Canadian Mental Health Association that has helped organizations of all sizes across Canada build healthier workplaces. Whether LMS-enabled or not, organizations can preview the Not Myself Today ® training through a short demo. To book a session with a CMHA representative, visit About the Canadian Mental Health Association Founded in 1918, the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) is the most established, most extensive community mental health federation in Canada. Through a presence in more than 330 communities across every province and the Yukon, CMHA provides advocacy, programs and resources that help to prevent mental health problems and illnesses, support recovery and resilience, and enable all Canadians to flourish and thrive. For more information, please visit About Not Myself Today ® Not Myself Today ® is a social enterprise of the Canadian Mental Health Association, National. The program provides helpful tips, learning modules and other resources for employees to help improve their mental health at work. The platform helps to build an open and supportive workplace by cultivating meaningful conversations and deeper understanding about mental health and wellness in the workplace. For more information, visit SOURCE Canadian Mental Health Association
CTV News
21-05-2025
- General
- CTV News
CMHA confronted by Stevenson's skepticism about supportive housing project
The CMHA says two new housing projects will fit into the neighbourhoods selected, but a councillor is skeptical. CTV London's Daryl Newcombe reports.
CTV News
21-05-2025
- General
- CTV News
‘We need the support of our city'
The CMHA says two new housing projects will fit into the neighbourhoods selected, but a councillor is skeptical. CTV London's Daryl Newcombe reports.
CBC
09-05-2025
- Health
- CBC
'I was so deep in depression': northern Ontario woman speaks out during National Mental Health Week
Kayla Ramsay was around 13 years old when she felt something was wrong. After researching her symptoms online, the Sudbury woman realized she was struggling with depression. But even with that knowledge, she felt scared to tell her parents, both of whom had their own mental health challenges. "I was ashamed. I thought, I shouldn't be feeling this way. My life isn't that bad. So why do I feel this bad?" Ramsay said. Now 29, she is reflecting on her experiences as Canadians mark Mental Health Week, an annual campaign run by the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA). "I was just so low all of the time, I could not do anything. I was so deep in depression that I knew this was a problem," Ramsay said. She said her first step toward getting help came in high school when she spoke to a guidance counsellor. "She was so lovely, but she wasn't really equipped to deal with mental health issues," said Ramsay. "So when I was ready, I went to my family doctor and told her, and that's when I got medicated for the first time. I was 16 and I've been off and on medication as needed, pretty much ever since." Later, while attending university, Ramsay said the campus counselling services also fell short. More recently, she tried getting a referral to a psychiatrist, thinking her family doctor couldn't provide full mental health support due to time constraints. But she says after the referral, she only had one conversation with the psychiatrist, was given another prescription and referred back to her family doctor. "It's not always easy to find those supports and services, especially ones that are in your price range, or maybe you can't wait for those services," she said. Personal loss and a path forward When Ramsay was 21, her father died by suicide. She said he had previously made an attempt and was briefly hospitalized at Kirkwood Place, a mental health facility in Sudbury. "He absolutely hated it. Did not want to go back, did not access any other services," she said. "I think he got to that point where he just felt like there was nothing available, there was nothing else, there was no other options." Ramsay said navigating her own mental health has not been a straight line. "It's been a lot of ups and downs in my recovery journey," she said. She now works as a communications officer with the Northern Initiative for Social Action (NISA), a peer-run organization offering advocacy, community programs, and resources to support people living with mental illness in Sudbury. "There's absolutely nothing to be ashamed of if you are having a mental health issue, problem or challenge," Ramsay said. "If you break your arm, you go to the ER, you go see a doctor. Mental health is no different." Chris Coulombe, a mental health educator with CMHA's Sudbury/Manitoulin branch, said this year's mental health week campaign is focused on "unmasking." "I think all of us have probably put a mask on at one point in our lives," he said. "Maybe we were hiding, or maybe there were some emotions or some symptoms that we were looking to suppress." The Sudbury/Manitoulin branch is marking the week with local initiatives such as lighting up the Sudbury water tower in green — the international colour for mental health — along with free workshops, crafts, and coffee fundraisers. "We really want to deal with that labelling that happens in our community," he said. "And really focus on dignity and on respecting individuals. Because everyone is someone." Coulombe said more support is needed to keep services running in northern Ontario, and to prevent the devastating consequences of untreated mental illness. "It's so important for us to enhance our capacity as a community to be there for others," he said. "We have the goal of ending stigma, but in reality… there's a lot of effort required to do that." He said stigma can lead to bias, stereotypes and discrimination and that the failure to speak openly or access help can have broader social consequences. "We often talk about the risks of institutionalization, incarceration or being hospitalized… But the reality is, there's also the risk of death," Coulombe said. "It's not a sign of weakness to ask for help." If you or someone you know is struggling, here's where to get help:
