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With it being Bell Let’s Talk, I decided to talk a little bit about mental health this week. #BellLetsTalk is an initiative by Canadian telecommunications company Bell. #BellLetsTalk is a day where Bell donates $0.05 to any text, call, or social media post using the aforementioned hashtag (or provided filters) to mental health initiatives in Canada. It is a great concept and has started vast conversations about mental health as well as people opening up about personal experiences. Bell is trying (despite their own controversies, see here and here).
But there’s a problem… why is a telecommunications company striving towards solving the gap of mental health resources and not our government? A common misconception is that Canada has universal healthcare, while Canada does label its healthcare universal it has its barriers. The Canadian government dishes out funds to all provinces and territories for health care and it is then decided upon those provincial governments on how those funds are spent. With that being said, mental health is not considered primary care in most provinces/territories. While there have been some strides in some provinces (which is wonderful) it isn’t enough.
Until seeing a mental health provider is as easy and attainable (both in access and finances) as seeing a General Practitioner, we will not see progress. A joke I make is that we should be provided therapists at birth, but the older I get the more that joke, becomes a truer thought. Mental health is health and our overall health is important.
Below are some free or low costs options for mental health resources by province.
Everyone, please take care of your heart, body, and mind.
- British Columbia
- Ontario
- Nova Scotia
- Manitoba
- Alberta
- Quebec
- Saskatchewan
- Prince Edward Island
- New Brunswick
- Yukon
- Northwest Territories
- Newfoundland and Labrador
- Nunavut
Remember specific cities have wider and more specific resources, if you need assistance finding something specific reach out!
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