McGill and Queen’s University webinars to discuss diversity and mental health
MONTREAL — Bell Let’s Talk, McGill University, Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital (The Neuro) and the Lady Davis Institute at the Jewish General Hospital in Montreal today announced the official launch of the Multicultural Mental Health Resource Centre (MMHRC).
This new online resource seeks to improve the quality and availability of mental health services for people from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds, including new Canadians, refugees and members of established ethnocultural communities — populations which have been disproportionately affected by the global Covid-19 pandemic.
Supported by a $250,000 donation from Bell Let’s Talk (first announced in January 2017), the MMHRC is a joint initiative by researchers at McGill’s Division of Social and Transcultural Psychiatry, The Neuro and the Lady Davis Institute. The initiative is led by Dr. Laurence Kirmayer, an international researcher in the field of transcultural psychiatry, who has pioneered efforts to approach mental health within the cultural context of those who are being treated and the communities in which they live.
“Addressing issues of language, culture, religion and other aspects of diversity, the MMHRC will promote greater equity in mental health care,” said Kirmayer, in a press release announcing the launch of the MMHRC website. “Mental health is often viewed differently in different cultures, which requires culturally responsive approaches to meet the needs of those seeking help. With the generous support of Bell Let’s Talk, we have drawn on our extensive research to strengthen and develop our online platform in order to better reach out to those in need and make this resource more accessible.”
“Our partnership with McGill University and its affiliated hospitals to increase access to mental health services in multiple languages reflects the Bell Let’s Talk commitment to support culturally informed mental health supports for diverse communities,” said Mary Deacon, chair of Bell Let’s Talk.
The MMHRC has developed online information and tools for several different groups, including patients and their families, health care professionals, community organizations, and policy makers, planners and administrators.
In addition, when the Covid-19 pandemic is brought under control and out-patient visits to hospitals resume, interactive kiosks at The Neuro and the Jewish General Hospital will be available where patients and clinical staff can access the website.
Bell Let’s Talk also announced today two upcoming webinars where diversity and mental health will be discussed.
On Thursday, January 21, McGill and the Jewish General Hospital are hosting a webinar on mental health in diverse communities to engage in discussion about resiliency and mental well-being. Moderated by Dr. Ghayda Hassan, this French-language webinar will be held at 12 p.m. ET on January 21. To register for the webinar, please click here.
A second webinar in English will be presented by Queen’s University and moderated by Dr. Jane Philpott on Friday, January 22 at 12 p.m. ET. For more information and to register for this webinar, please click here.
Bell Let’s Talk Day is January 28. More information is available here.
