Government of Canada invests $1.2 million to promote mental health in postpartum women and their families within Asian and South Asian immigrant communities

Funding supports United Chinese Community Enrichment Services Society's projects

VANCOUVER, BC, Dec. 7, 2022 /CNW/ - We need to address health inequities and promote positive mental health for people across the country, particularly for those who face disproportionate challenges accessing mental health supports due to racism and discrimination or because of their sexual orientation and socio-economic status.

Today, Wilson Miao, Member of Parliament for Richmond Centre on behalf of the Honourable Carolyn Bennett, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health, announced $1.2 million in funding to the United Chinese Community Enrichment Services Society, commonly know as S.U.C.C.E.S.S.

Today's funding will help S.U.C.C.E.S.S. enhance referral processes from physicians and midwives to community supports, including mental health services, for diverse immigrant communities in the Tri-Cities region of British Columbia. This will ensure that postpartum women and their families from across the province have access to the best possible culturally relevant and trauma-informed health care and support from their service providers.

This announcement is part of a $100 million investment provided in Budget 2021 to support projects that promote mental health and prevent mental illness in populations disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. These include youth; seniors; First Nations, Inuit and Métis; Black and other racialized people in Canada; front-line and other essential workers; and others whose mental health has been?and continues to be?especially impacted by the pandemic.

"Almost one quarter of mothers in Canada experience mental health challenges following birth. It is critical that these serious conditions are not dismissed and that people experiencing them, or who are at risk, receive the specialized care and support they need. Today's funding will help the S.U.C.C.E.S.S. project ensure more immigrant and newcomer women and their families in B.C receive the most appropriate mental health care, from the most appropriate provider, at the most appropriate time."

 The Honourable, Carolyn Bennett 
Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, and Associate Minister of Health 

"This program supports service providers to promote positive mental health among postpartum women. I want to thank S.U.C.C.E.S.S. for their ongoing work to bring awareness to maternal mental health and reduce the stigma around getting mental health supports."

Wilson Miao 
Member of Parliament, Richmond Centre

"On behalf of the communities we serve, I'm grateful for the Government of Canada's investment in the mental health of Asian and South Asian immigrant women and their families in B.C. S.U.C.C.E.S.S. has been providing culturally-appropriate individual and family counselling services and mental health help lines for many years and we understand the stigmas that still prevent people from seeking help. Working directly with postpartum women and their medical service providers will enable us to better connect them to community supports and ensure no one falls through the cracks."

Queenie Choo, CEO 
S.U.C.C.E.S.S.

• The Government of Canada is committed to supporting the mental health of people in Canada through the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.
• Mental health promotion and mental illness prevention are critical components for wellbeing and can help reduce demands on the health care system. Community-based projects focussed on mental health promotion have the potential to improve health outcomes over the life course. 
• Renison University College, at the University of Waterloo, is hosting a Knowledge Development and Exchange Hub for Mental Health Promotion (KDE Hub) to support the projects funded through this investment helping to build a community with shared interests in optimizing mental health promotion and mental illness prevention across Canada.
• The Wellness Together Canada portal provides free access to educational content, self-guided therapy, moderated peer-to-peer support, and one-to-one counselling with qualified health professionals. If you or a loved one is struggling, you can access the Wellness Together Canada portal, or call 1-866-585-0445 or text WELLNESS to 741741 (adults) or 686868 (youth).
• Kids Help Phone is also available 24/7 with e-mental health service offering free, confidential support to young people in English and French.

• The Wellness Together Canada portal
• Kids Help Phone
• Mental Health and Wellness (Government of Canada website)
• Budget 2021

SOURCE Public Health Agency of Canada