“In the wake of dual public health emergencies, and recognizing the broad impact of mental health, we need innovation, collaboration, and a renewed focus on prevention in order to continue to meet the needs of our communities.”
Danielle Cameron, Clinical Operations Executive Director, Interior Health
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 funds 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
increase in moderate to severe mental health referrals in the Interior Health region from January 2019 to December 2021
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
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.
“…we can do more together than apart. By aligning together, we can not only raise funds and awareness to support the issue, but we can also demonstrate the extraordinary value of collaboration. We will get a lot closer to supporting the evolving mental health needs of our community by combining forces.”
Ginny Becker, Executive Director, Child Advocacy Centre of Kelowna
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. With donor support, we have already catalyzed the launch of several transformative programs across key mental health care partners:
Interior Health (IH) received funds to create a trauma-informed clinical space at Outreach Urban Health and kick-start a contingency management program for the Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) Program, in addition to supporting medical and comfort items.
Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Kelowna was granted funds to sustain a Family Peer Support position within the Family Services program at Foundry Kelowna. This program utilizes lived experiences to provide families, parents and caregivers with on-site assistance and individualized peer-based support, connecting them to essential services, education, and resources.
Child Advocacy Centre (CAC) benefitted from funding to enhance the Resilient Families Mental Health and Wellness Program with the acquisition of a Psychologist, as well as additional counsellors and coordinators. With a goal of offering immediate, evidence-based therapeutic interventions, this program significantly reduces the impact of trauma on child development and relationship-building, while also addressing caregiver stress and isolation.
Kelowna Community Resources (KCR) was supported with funds to enhance various critical services including: the Family Hub, Immigrant and Refugee Support, Crisis Line Responder Support, and Suicide Awareness and Crisis Response Training. This funding supports the holistic development of families and addresses the increasing demand for mental health services, especially among children and immigrant communities. By providing culturally appropriate counseling and essential resources such as technology access, KCR is making strides in creating a more resilient and supported community.
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. In Phase 1 of this initiative, we collaborated with over 30 key leaders and decision makers in the community from a variety of sectors, to understand the essential elements required of a mental health and substance use system of care, and identify barriers to working as a system. We learned that while there are many plans and strategies at play, there is little cohesiveness to the execution of these strategies primarily because there is limited accountability to overall community determined goals.
This project aims to enhance and align current activities in our community so that there is greater clarity on how all the pieces fit together in order to create transformational change by investing in collaboration.
Next steps, the KGH Foundation will fund a Mental Health systems change team of “Field Catalysts” to facilitate community-led projects demonstrating transformational change, along with providing up to $100,000 in direct project “seed” funds to support innovation and idea testing. Key areas for potential projects include immigrant and refugee long term well-being, hospital-to-community support pathways, non-profit sector workforce capacity building, primary care connections, food (in)security, and child/youth initiatives. These initiatives will empower our community to address mental health challenges effectively.
WHAT WE'RE FUNDING
Current Priorities
Bright Mindz Youth Housing Initiative, CMHA Kelowna:
Bright Mindz is a youth housing initiative operated by CMHA Kelowna. The 18 independent micro suites provide a safe and supportive home for youth, ages 17 – 24, on the path to adulthood. This model empowers youth with independence, life skills, and self-sufficiency, while allowing them to focus on advancing their education or career.
Upstream, Boys and Girls Club Kelowna:
The Upstream Project is a collaborative initiative aimed at preventing youth homelessness. Partnering with organizations like A Way Home, Journey Home, and Raising the Roof, it uses a universal screening tool to identify at-risk youth early and connect them with support services to prevent the risk of homelessness and disengagement from school. The goal of Upstream Kelowna is to improve students’ overall and mental well-being, increase school engagement, and decrease youth homelessness. The best way to achieve these goals is to work upstream and focus on prevention.
MENTAL HEALTH CARE
Latest Stories
Planting the Seeds of System Change
Thrive Okanagan facilitates multi-sector collaboration in support of mental health and community well-being in the Central Okanagan.
Parade with a Purpose
Parade with a Purpose is aiming to expand its impact in mental health care in the community by partnering with the KGH Foundation.
Partnering with KCR
The KGH Foundation is partnering with Kelowna Community Resources to enhance mental health care in our community.
HELP IS AVAILABLE
Mental Health Resources
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, support is available:
