Mental Health CARE

Building a healthier future, together.

CLOSER TO HOME

Mental Health Care is for all of us.

Working in collaboration with community mental health partners, the KGH Foundation is rallying the community to help raise $3.5 million to address the mental health care crisis right here at home. This will provide for the immediate needs of mental health care providers in order to help people who are struggling right now, and facilitate collaboration to support system innovation, to build the sustainable, inclusive, and accessible system of mental health care that we all deserve.

It’s closer to home than you think

The birth of a child, the passing of a loved one, a life-altering injury or trauma. A pandemic.

Sometimes (often), seemingly no reason at all.

Mental well-being has become one of the most pervasive health challenges our communities face. It has been a critical concern in our region for some time, affecting people of all ages, genders, and socio-economic conditions, and affecting some communities disproportionately more than others. The pandemic has magnified the crisis. So many of us, our family members, friends, co-workers, neighbours are struggling.

Many are just coping, hoping things will get better.

Those who are struggling with mild or moderate symptoms need more, safe options for early intervention. The time to restore the health of our mental health care system is now. Immediate funding is needed to provide relief to existing mental health programs critically stressed under the weight of the increased demand. But it’s not enough. It’s time to re-imagine the system of mental health care in our community.

British Columbians (1 in 5) currently experiencing a mental health issue or substance use disorder

0 %

increase in moderate to severe mental health referrals in the Interior Health region from January 2019 to December 2021

1 in 0

has experienced mental health challenges by the age of 40

children in B.C. are not receiving the mental health treatment they need

WE SEE YOU

Mental Health in our community.

With the right support, things can get better. First, we need to address our system, which is also in crisis. To start, we have united with our community mental health care providers in service to provide what is needed most: immediate funding and system change. But we need your help.

SUPPORTING THE COMMUNITY NOW

Immediate Needs

Opportunities to provide desperately needed resources for acute and community-based mental health care services have been identified in our community right now. Funding community programs will allow for earlier access to services upstream, helping to alleviate the pressure of therapeutic interventions downstream. Due to the complexity of treating mental health, it is paramount that clinicians and support staff be provided opportunities for education and training to provide the best patient-centered care.

Our mental healthcare partners have already received funding for programs such as:

Interior Health – $20,080 for the creation of a trauma-informed clinical space at Outreach Urban Health and the introduction of a contingency management program for the ACT (Assertive Community Treatment) Program, in addition to medical and comfort items.

CMHA – $160,000 for 2 years of a Family Peer Supporter position for the Family Services program based out of Foundry Kelowna.

CAC – $200,000 for Counsellors & Coordinators for the Resilient Families Program.

KCR – $120,000 for Family Hub, Immigrant & Refugee support, Crisis Line Responder support, & training for suicide awareness & crisis response.

UPSTREAM SOLUTIONS

System Transformation

The development of the KGH Foundation’s Mental Health Collective Impact Fund will support systems-focused research, planning, evaluation, and seed funding. This will include developing a continuum of care model for mental health and substance use. This fund aims to identify, articulate, and address systemic issues in mental health care through investment in people capable of re-imagining the system. Furthermore, this fund will engage many community mental health care partners and facilitate continuous knowledge development and exchange.

The creation of the Mental Health Collective Impact Fund is well underway with the first meeting set for October 7, 2022 to establish the purpose and goals of the fund, as well as establish the representatives and their roles

Together, we are the solution.

To build a system of mental health care that is sustainable, inclusive, and accessible to all, we need to work together.

A cabinet consisting of individuals from community partners including the Canadian Mental Health Association – Kelowna, KCR Community Resources, the Child Advocacy Centre of Kelowna, and Interior Health acute and community mental health care teams has been assembled to support the campaign and its outcomes. Each brings an important perspective and holds a vested interest in the transformation the campaign seeks to deliver, and will play a crucial role in the Mental Health Collective Impact Fund, with the first meeting set for October 7, 2022.