January 30, 2019 is Bell Let’s Talk Day, a day to come together to talk about mental health. One in five Canadians experience a form of mental illness, and today, Canadians across the country join the conversation.
Bell Canada promotes this annual campaign to raise awareness and important funding to support mental health programs. For every social media post using #BellLetsTalk Bell Canada will donate five cents to mental health initiatives.
It is important to join the conversation today and throughout the year, as so many people are affected by mental illness in some way, either directly or through a friend, family member or colleague. By sharing stories and experiences, we can challenge stereotypes, reduce stigmas and create a more inclusive community for everyone.
This campaign has started conversations across the country, and has helped millions of people, giving approximately 6,313,777 individuals access to mental health care in Canada. It has also created 534 community fund grants, to help established organizations continue to deliver essential mental health services.
In Halton, there are many supports and programs available to residents if you are struggling with mental illness. I encourage you to use the resources available to you to, such as the Canadian Mental Health Association Halton Region Branch and Distress Centre Halton to receive the support you need.
I also encourage everyone to continue to have conversations about mental health with your family, friends and colleagues. By breaking the silence together, we make Halton a great place to live, work, raise a family and retire.