HOCKEY TALKS. AND NOW THAT IT HAS, WHERE CAN I GO FOR HELP?
Since 2014, the Calgary Flames Foundation has donated more than $600,000 to support mental health programming in southern Alberta, including significant funding recently through the Calgary Flames Foundation COVID-19 Community Support Program.
Now more than ever we want to help our community be aware and navigate resources available for people of all ages and walks of life to walk out to reach out, and talk.
We have joined forces with Calgary Flames Foundation charitable partners and beneficiaries to provide information on resources available in Calgary for individuals and families struggling, looking for help or more information on mental health services in Calgary.
This has been a hard year to say the least. Below is a brief summary on programs and services available from Calgary’s mental health organizations. Click the link in each for more information on a particular organization. Let’s reach out together.
Did you know you can always call, text or chat 2-1-1?
You can call or text 2-1-1 at any time to access Alberta’s Community and Social Services Help Line! Navigate our community’s network of human services quickly and easily in order to get help finding out what services is best and available based on your needs.
United Way of Calgary and Area collaborates with agencies, corporations, and donors like you to make positive and lasting changes in our community. We support 29 agencies in Calgary that offer mental health services, benefiting over 61,000 people in 2022.
Our focus is on promoting, preventing, and early intervention for mental health. By supporting initiatives like The City of Calgary’s Mental Health and Addiction Strategy, we aim to help individuals access the necessary support before issues become more challenging to address. Together, we contribute to the strategy’s goals of “Be Well, Get Help, and Stay Safe,” providing hope and support for the mental health of Calgarians. Together, we are building a tomorrow where mental health matters. For more information, please visit https://calgaryunitedway.org/our-work/mental-health/.
CMHA Peer Support service through phone (403-297-1402) and email (peer@cmha.calgary.ab.ca) is available to those who need it. The emails and phone calls will be responded to in a timely manner based on volume received between the hours of 9am to 4pm.
Visit CMHA Peer Support online at https://cmha.calgary.ab.ca/individual-family-support/talk-to-a-peer/
Wood’s Homes proudly provides professional, no cost crisis counselling to individuals, couples and families via phone, text, live chat, and email at Eastside Community Mental Health Services in Calgary’s Northeast. Whatever the situation or problem – large or small – we are here to listen and help.
How to access:
• Phone (403)-299-9699
• Text 587-315-5000
• Live Chat 9 a.m. – 10 p.m. (MST) 7 days a week
• Email (eTherapy) etherapy@woodshomes.ca
• Eastside Community Mental Health Service
Visit Wood’s Homes online at https://www.woodshomes.ca
Distress Centre Calgary (DCC) provides 24 hour crisis support, professional counselling, youth peer support and referrals through 211 and our housing programs at SORCe – all at no cost. For over 50 years, Distress Centre has served Calgary and Southern Alberta, ensuring everyone has a place to turn in times of crisis.
Services:
• If you need to talk, Distress Centre is here to listen. All calls to our 24 hour crisis line are confidential. Calls are responded to by highly trained volunteers supported by professional staff. Judgement-free support is available in over 200 languages.
• For those who are not comfortable calling, daily online chat and email support are available at distresscentre.com. Chat and text (for youth) with a volunteer from 3pm -10pm weekdays and noon-10pm on weekends.
• For teens in Calgary, ConnecTeen provides confidential peer support by text, chat and phone.
• To help with more complex issues, our professional crisis counsellors provide free short-term counselling for individuals, couples and families at Distress Centre.
• 211 is a critical service that helps Albertans find the right resource or service for whatever issue they need help with, at the right time. 211 is available 24/7 by phone, text and chat. The service is free, confidential and available in over 170 languages over the phone.
Visit Distress Centre online at www.distresscentre.com/need-help.
Calgary Counselling Centre is a community-based leading research, training and counselling organization in Calgary. Our evidence based leading-edge counselling leads our clients to achieve higher results. With no wait list and fees based on a sliding scale, counselling is accessible to everyone. For more than 58 years, CCC has been helping people develop the skills they need to thrive. Counselling and group programs are available for children, youth, individuals, couples, parents, seniors, and families in a variety of areas such as depression, anxiety, trauma, amongst others. Day, evening, and Saturday appointments are available. To ensure the safety of our clients and staff, counselling services and programs are provided online or over the phone.
Visit Calgary Counselling Centre online at calgarycounselling.com
A leader in children’s mental health with tools to support people’s mental well-being during high times of stress and crisis. Hull Services has long had a reputation for providing leading edge child, youth, and family mental health services, working with children, youth and families who have experienced significant types of challenges. Hull offers an opportunity to seek well-being and happiness, with a focus on mental health. Hull’s vision is for resilient young people and families to thrive within communities that support their mental health and well-being.
Visit Hull Services online at https://hullservices.ca/our-services/education-training-and-resources/covid-19-mental-health-resources/
Kids Help Phone is Canada’s only 24/7 national service offering bilingual professional counselling, information and referrals and volunteer-led, text-based support to young people. They are on the virtual frontline of e-mental health provision – hearing every day what young people are struggling with, the fears they have, the pain they’re experiencing, and most importantly – what brings them hope.
In 2020, Kids Help Phone had 4.5 million interactions with young people – compared to 1.9 million in 2019. They are committed to improving awareness and access to mental health services that support every young person in Canada, however and whenever they may need it – whether that be through phone, text, messenger, their website, or with a referral to a service in a young person’s community. These life-changing services are scalable, innovative and ever changing to keep up with growing needs – serving even more young people each day.
Even with the extraordinary measures our country continues to take in response to this life-altering pandemic, the impact on youth mental health will be felt well into the future. Kids Help Phone is deeply committed to responding as quickly as we can to every single young person who reaches out for help, no matter the time of day or night. And can only do that with the support of their extraordinary donor community, including the Calgary Flames Foundation.
Visit Kids Help Phone online at https://kidshelpphone.ca/
Community Connect YYC (CCYYC) is a ‘one-stop-shop’ for members of the Calgary community to find affordable counselling services and other social supports. … CCYYC is a Calgary collaborative project that is formed with generous community partners including Catholic Family Services, Centre for Sexuality, CUPS, and YWCA.
Visit Community Connect online at https://www.communityconnectyyc.ca/
The mission of I Got Mind is to promote and facilitate mental health and wellness in sports, business, education, and life. The I Got Mind team includes former educators, business and mental health professionals, entrepreneurs, athletes, and military members. I Got Mind has been providing webinars, online courses, and virtual facilitation of our programs throughout the Covid-19 pandemic to help those that are struggling. Covid-19 has created mental health issues for individuals, teams, schools, and businesses. The stress and anxiety levels in program groups are extremely high.
This is affecting all age demographics and have seen significant relief when we allow people to talk about what they are going through and help them put the skills we teach into action. The uncertainty, loss, and mental fatigue is taking a toll on the youth, adults, and the leaders of organizations and communities. I Got Mind has been supporting people with educational programs specific to dealing with the issues Covid has raised. If you are looking for solutions to deal with mental wellness concerns or to develop new ways to communicate and understand the effects you see within your team, contact us to discuss how I Got Mind can help.
Visit www.igotmind.ca for more information.
A free online portal and mobile app where young people aged 12 to 25 can attend same day or pre-booked appointments (up to a week in advance) with a mental health professional, peer support worker, employment specialist or participate in group activities and workshops. Based on a single session model, Kickstand Connect offers on-line same day and pre-booked services, none of which require a healthcare card, referral, or any form of payment.
Anyone interested in making an appointment or joining a group workshop can visit connect.mykickstand.ca/booking