Apr 3

Written by: admin
03/04/2009 2:03 PM

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
URGENT ACTION

mindyourmind.ca, the London, Ontario-based, internationally acclaimed Youth Mental Health website and youth engagement program, forced to close May 1, 2009

The Ontario Ministry of Children and Youth Services agrees that mindyourmind.ca falls within their stated mission and aligns perfectly with their strategic framework for the province. However, despite matching objectives and a series of ongoing meetings, the Ministry has not made a commitment to invest in this life-saving intervention.

Almost half of Ontario male teens said that they can’t or don’t talk to anybody about their mental health concerns. Almost 73% of female teens said that they feel really stressed and half report feeling really depressed. Created in partnership with hundreds of youth who have volunteered over 5000 hours, mindyourmind.ca demonstrates that a peer leadership model can engage youth in help seeking behaviors. mindyourmind.ca is now recognized worldwide as an innovative model of youth engagement. The service was accessed more than 600,000 times in 2008 alone.

As one female youth writes: “this site makes me feel better…a reason not to kill myself”.

mindyourmind.ca was developed in part with Ontario Trillium Foundation seed funding and was awarded the special distinction of “Best Grant Recipient” in the past 25 years at their 25th Anniversary Awards Celebration. mindyourmind.ca has also received national and international acclaim for excellence in mental health, media and information technology.

“mindyourmind.ca is an exemplar of ‘best practice’ in dealing with (mental health) stigma…They are doing the right thing, in the right way and at the right time,” says Neasa Martin, Mental Health Consultant and former Advisor on Stigma and Discrimination to the Mental Health Commission of Canada.

Urgent action is required to save this one-of-a-kind service for youth. Sandra Savage, Acting Executive Director of Family Service Thames Valley says: “We believe that the role of government is to support and protect vulnerable youth in our society. The government has missed a unique opportunity to help thousands of youth who depend on this service.”

For more information contact:

Sandra Savage
Acting Executive Director
Family Service Thames Valley
519.494.9460
ssavage@familyservicethamesvalley.com

Bev Noble
Vice Chair, Board of Directors
Family Service Thames Valley
519.858.3502

PDF Version of this press release
http://www.mindyourmind.ca/urgent%20action%20release%20Apr%2003%202009.pdf

Want to make a difference? Let your voice be heard. Contact:

The Hon. Deb Matthews
Minister of Children and Youth Services,
Province of Ontario, Canada
(P)416.212.7432
(F)416.212.7431
dmatthews.mpp@liberal.ola.org

and your provincial and federal representatives:
Ontario MPP's
http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/members/members_current.do?locale=en

Canadian Members of Parliament
http://webinfo.parl.gc.ca/MembersOfParliament/MainMPsCompleteList.aspx?TimePeriod=Current&Language=E

Here is a sample email you can copy and paste. Add your own words or send as is:

Youth email form
http://www.mindyourmind.ca/urgent.html#

Stakeholder, Community Service Provider, Parents, Caregivers email form http://www.mindyourmind.ca/urgent.html#

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