Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport invests $200,000 into Canadian Mental Health Association – York Region and South Simcoe

Newmarket, ON – On Monday, MPP Dawn Gallagher Murphy announced that the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport, will be investing $200,000 through the Ontario Trillium Foundation’s Resilient Communities Fund stream into the Canadian Mental Health Association York Region and South Simcoe (CMHA-YRSS). The organization will be using its two-year grant to help expand services with its Gender Affirming Health Clinic, providing tiered-level mental health and medical services to the transgender community.

“Our government is supporting our health care sector partners in the delivery of gender affirming care, so they can better serve our community,” said Dawn Gallagher Murphy, MPP for Newmarket—Aurora. “Because we know that when we work together with our sector partners, we can deliver real results and better health outcomes.”

Funds from the Resilient Communities Fund grant will help will support additional staffing and administrative costs, purchase program equipment and provide CBT-Affirm training (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) for staff. The Gender Affirming Health Clinic at CMHA-YRSS is the first of its kind in the community and has been essential in mitigating some of the barriers that trans and gender diverse people face with accessing care.

“We are grateful to the Ontario Trillium Foundation for this generous investment that will empower CMHA to expand our Gender Affirming Health Clinic to provide care for more trans and gender diverse individuals in our community,” said Rebecca Shields, CEO of the Canadian Mental Health Association York Region and South Simcoe. “This funding will enable us to open up the long wait list for this much needed, innovative program and adding CBT-Affirm to our list of Clinic services will be life changing for our clients.”

The CBT-Affirm training that will be provided to CMHA-YRSS staff for delivery to GAHC clients will help to build on evidence-based resources for the trans population in York Region and South Simcoe, including group and individual services to improve mental wellness and social integration.

“Non-profit organizations across Ontario deliver programming that makes a difference,” said Neil Lumsden, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport. “That’s why funding that my ministry is providing through the Ontario Trillium Fund is so important. Our government wants to ensure that these programs remain the heart of communities across our province.”

The Ontario Trillium Foundation’s (OTF) mission is to build healthy and vibrant communities across Ontario. As an agency of the Government of Ontario, and one of Canada’s leading granting foundations, last year, OTF invested over $110M into 1,022 community projects and partnerships. Visit otf.ca to learn more.

The Resilient Communities Fund supports community-based organizations that deliver programs and services in Ontario and need funding to recover and build capacity, resilience and sustainability.

About Canadian Mental Health Association, York Region and South Simcoe

Founded in 1918, the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) is the most established, most extensive community mental health organization in Canada. As the nationwide leader and champion for mental health with 75 branches across the country, CMHA facilitates access to the resources people require to maintain and improve mental health and community integration, build resilience, and support recovery from mental illness and addiction.

CMHA York Region and South Simcoe (CMHA-YRSS) is one of the fastest growing branches of CMHA, last year serving more than 18,000 clients. With a vision of providing Mental Health to All, CMHA-YRSS offers more than 30 mental health and addictions programs for youth, adults, family caregivers, local businesses, and community organizations. To find out more about the work of the Canadian Mental Health Association York Region and South Simcoe, go to www.cmha-yr.on.ca

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For more information:

Cathy Cowan

Senior Director, Communications

Canadian Mental Health Association York Region South Simcoe

ccowan@cmha-yr.on.ca