Ontario Grant to Help CMHA Locally

January 9, 2023

Ontario Trillium Foundation Grant Enables Expansion of CMHA College of Health and Well-Being

(Newmarket, ON – January 9, 2023) – On Monday, January 9th, MPPs Dawn Gallagher Murphy and Michael Parsa met with the staff at the Canadian Mental Health Association York Region and South Simcoe (CMHA-YRSS) to congratulate them on the work that’s been done since receiving a $104,000 Resilient Communities Fund grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) in 2022. The year-long grant has expanded its CMHA College of Health and Well-Being program. CMHA College provides everyone in York Region and South Simcoe with access to free courses, webinars, workshops and events to help improve mental health and recovery.

“It is critical that our community members continue to have access to the resources and support that they require in order to improve their mental health,” said Dawn Gallagher Murphy, MPP for Newmarket—Aurora. “I am proud of our government’s initiative to help not-for-profits like the Canadian Mental Health Association realize their own digital transformation to moving toward a hybrid model of service by expanding and adapting the Recovery College programs.”

The OTF grant enabled CMHA-YRSS to hire a mental health educator last year to expand CMHA College course curriculum and train staff on virtual and in-person mental health education programming. The grant was also instrumental to the translation of materials to support outreach and inclusivity, development of a Learning Management System enabling clients to create individual learning portals, and technology enhancements to better facilitate synchronized and asynchronized learning.

“Supporting plans to rebuild and expand CMHA’s resources and mental health recovery programs is one more way our government is building a stronger, more resilient community,” said Michael Parsa, MPP for Aurora-Oak Ridges-Richmond Hill. “This investment is delivering bold innovations and new solutions through hybrid models of service to ensure that CMHA can meet the growing needs of families in our community.”

All courses at the CMHA College of Health and Well-Being are designed to inspire hope, support learning, provide new opportunities for growth and connection. To register or learn more about available courses visit www.cmhacollege.ca.

“All courses at the CMHA College of Health and Well-Being are designed to inspire hope, support learning, and provide new opportunities for growth and connection,” said Rebecca Shields, CEO of CMHA-YRSS. “We are incredibly grateful for OTF’s generous grant that’s enabling our CMHA College to bolster mental health and recovery support to marginalized clients in our community.”

About Canadian Mental Health Association: CMHA York Region and South Simcoe (CMHA-YRSS) is one of the fastest growing branches of the Canadian Mental Health Association, last year serving more than 17,000 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

About The Ontario Trillium Foundation: The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF), an agency of the Government of Ontario, and one of Canada’s leading granting foundations celebrates 40 years of grantmaking in Ontario and making a lasting impact in communities. Last year, OTF invested nearly $209M into 2,042 community projects and partnerships, which included funding for the Government of Ontario’s Community Building Fund. Visit otf.ca to learn more.