MONTREAL — Already available in Ontario, B.C. and Manitoba, the Canadian Mental Health Association’s (CMHA) BounceBack program is expanding to the Atlantic provinces, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Alberta and Yukon, thanks to a $1 million donation from Bell Let’s Talk.
The BounceBack program provides mental health supports remotely to Canadians, and the donation helps to address the increased need for support during the Covid-19 crisis, says the news release. In addition to extending the BounceBack program nationwide, the new funding is enabling further expansion of the program in Manitoba.
Bell Let’s Talk’s donation will also support the creation of a national website and toll-free number where Canadians can learn about the BounceBack program and connect with the nearest CMHA branch or region office in their area.
BounceBack is a free, guided self-help program effective in helping adults and youth 15+ manage low mood, mild to moderate depression, anxiety, stress or worry, says the release. Through telephone coaching, skill-building workbooks and online videos, participants learn ways to overcome their symptoms and improve their mental well-being now and in future.
Available in English, French, Mandarin, Cantonese, Punjabi, Spanish, Arabic and Farsi, the program is free to all participants and delivered by coaches who are extensively trained and overseen by clinical psychologists. Participants can be referred by a primary care provider, such as a family doctor, nurse practitioner or psychiatrist, or choose to self-refer as long as they’re connected with a primary care provider, giving Canadians more choice in accessing support from home, says the release.
