Mental health indirectly affects all Canadians

 May is mental health month and that means canvassers will be knocking on doors in rural southern Alberta seeking donations for Canadian Mental Health Association.  Deborah Chenery, Executive Director for the organization says, all funds raised through its door-to-door campaign stay in southern Alberta.
 
“This annual campaign allows us to put the money raised into programs that help support people and families in achieving mental wellness. Often, when people think of mental health they think only of the serious illnesses but forms of mental illness affect almost all of us.”
 
Chenery says that almost everyone is affected indirectly through a friend, family member or co-worker who may have experienced a mental health issue.
 
“Anxiety disorders such as stress, bipolar, schizophrenia, depression, personality disorders, eating disorders and suicidal behaviour are all considered forms of mental illness. We have a number of programs available to help people if they experience these or other forms of mental illness.”
 
Chenery says that Canadian Mental Health Association operates the 24-hour southern Alberta distress and suicide prevention line, a mobile crisis team that is on call from 7am – 1 pm, and also acts as an information and referral service when people are trying to figure out how to navigate through the “mental health care system”.
 
“Often people just don’t even know where to call for mental health information or help. This year our canvassers will be leaving homeowners a brochure that lists mental wellness services available in this area.”
 
Chenery says this brochure, besides listing services offered by CMHA, also lists agencies and their contact numbers so people can have a resource of mental health services in southern Alberta.
 
CMHA canvassers will be in rural southern Alberta communities during the month of May seeking donations unless someone has already donated through the “NO Door-to-Door” campaign. This initiation was started last year and if someone donates within a year; they receive a static sticker to put on their door so a canvasser will know that someone in that household has already donated.
 
“The NO Door-to-Door has proven to be successful with many people donating and requesting the static sticker.”
 
If people don’t want a canvasser knocking on their door next year, canvassers will leave information on how people can become involved in the “NO Door-to-Door” 2008 campaign.