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The province is investing over $1.7 million in suicide-prevention initiatives this year as part of its $8-million commitment to reducing youth suicide in Manitoba, Healthy Living, Youth and Seniors Minister Jim Rondeau and Family Services and Consumer Affairs Minister Gord Mackintosh announced today.

 

“We must keep reaching out to our young people to promote positive mental health and ensure they have access to help and supports to reduce the risk of suicide,” said Rondeau, who also serves as chair of the Healthy Child Committee of Cabinet.  “Investing in training and community-based supports will help service providers and community members help others.”

 

Manitoba’s youth suicide-prevention strategy Reclaiming Hopewas introduced in the fall of 2008. It guides provincial investments to improve the overall mental health of Manitoba youth with the goal ofpreventing suicide and suicide-related thoughts and behaviours, said Rondeau.

 

“Government, community groups and individual Manitobans must all work together to help prevent suicide among youth including those in care,” said Mackintosh. “The loss of any person to suicide, especially the young, is a concern to all of us.”

 

Manitoba’s most recent investments in mental-health promotion and suicide prevention include:

·         providing $220,000 in renewed funding to support the ongoing development and implementation of regional and community-based youth suicide-prevention activities throughout the province;

·         investing $100,000 to expand the successful school-based Roots of Empathy programs to more communities and to younger children, as a way to increase empathy, reduce aggression and improve social skills;

·         providing $130,000 for Signs of Suicide, a school-based prevention program that teaches youth to recognize the signs of suicide and encourages them to seek help for themselves and their peers;

·         providing $127,500 to Communities That Care, a program that helps community groups offer proven programs that promote and strengthen the positive development and well-being of young people;

·         investing $57,000 to deliver training workshops for service providers working with individuals who have experienced abuse, neglect, family violence, sudden loss or combat/war-related trauma;                                                                                    

·         investing over $50,000 to support training mental-health first-aid instructors throughout the province;

·         providing $50,000 to enhance bereavement services for those whose loved ones have died by suicide; and

·         investing $15,000 in new research into risk factors of youth in the justice population.

 

The ministers noted that suicide-prevention programs must be responsive to the unique strengths and needs of the communities and people they serve. The province provides funding to regional committees that tailor initiatives to meet these needs. Funding provided to the Burntwood Regional Youth Suicide Prevention Committee builds community capacity to prevent suicide and promote life throughout the region.

 

“Due to the vast geographical area and many remote communities, bringing people together to share resources and develop relationships is a challenge,” said Liz Lychuk, chair of the committee.  “In April, the Burntwood Regional Youth Suicide Prevention Committee met this challenge by hosting the H.O.P.E. Forum, where representatives from 27 northern communities received training and suicide-prevention resources and support to develop community action plans.”

 

People who have experienced trauma are often at greater risk of suicide, Mackintosh said. Organizations and clinicians that work with Manitobans who have experienced trauma now have access to specialized training so they can better support their clients during recovery. These workshops are delivered through Klinic Community Health Centre and available across the province.

 

“This new program builds on important work underway at Klinic to promote mental health and wellness in our community, as part of our broader initiative to offer trauma-informed care in all health-care and social-service systems,” said Tim Wall, director of counselling services at Klinic Community Health Centre. “Every expansion and new service creates an opportunity to help Manitobans improve their mental health and to enhance our capacity to support people who have been affected by trauma.”

 

These initiatives build on other programs available across the province including:

·         funding a $500,000 expansion of the Winnipeg Aboriginal Sport Achievement Centre into northern communities like Shamattawa, Pauingassi, Duck Bay, Pine Creek, Camperville and Northlands;

·         expanding Klinic Community Health Centre’s successful Teen Talk program to northern communities through a $100,000 investment; and

·         providing over $200,000 to support Klinic Community Health Centre’s Manitoba Suicide Line and the recently launched www.reasontolive.ca.