(North Bay, Feb. 22, 2021) – Canadian Mental Health Association, North Bay and District, is marking Canada’s Agriculture Day on Feb. 22 by launching a new mental health awareness training program for farmers and the agriculture community.
Registration is now open, and sessions start soon for In the Know, a mental health literacy program created specifically for the agricultural community. The workshops are facilitated by CMHA mental health professionals using real-life examples from agriculture. Participants will cover the topics of stress, depression, anxiety, substance use disorders and how to start a conversation around mental well-being.
CMHA North Bay and District is partnering with CMHA Thunder Bay and CMHA Champlain East to offer the program online for Northern Ontario’s farmers and agricultural community, with training dates for English sessions on March 7 and 9, and a French session on March 8.
Interested participants can register by visiting bit.ly/InTheKnowNorth
The half-day training program is being made available thanks to a partnership between the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA), the University of Guelph and CMHA Ontario. The project is funded in part by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
An evaluated pilot of In the Know training in 2019 showed the course increased participants’ mental health knowledge and confidence in recognizing mental health struggles, speaking about mental health, and helping others who are struggling. Spearheaded by Dr. Briana Hagen, Dr. Andria Jones-Bitton of the Department of Population Medicine at the University of Guelph, and a stakeholder team from farming and mental health backgrounds, In the Know aims to build mental health knowledge and increase help-seeking among farmers. The course provides education on topics such as stress, depression, anxiety, substance use and how to start a conversation around mental well-being.
CMHA Ontario is working closely with the OFA to ensure maximum outreach and benefit to Ontario’s agricultural community via CMHA branches.
In the Know is funded in part by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
About Canadian Mental Health Association, North Bay and District
With close to 30 specialized programs, CMHA North Bay and District is a leading provider of community-based mental health, addiction, and peer support services. Sustainable housing and lived experience are essential to what we do. Our goal is empowering people to achieve wellness and full potential.
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To arrange an interview, contact:
Carla Ammerata
Director, Communications and Governmental Affairs
Canadian Mental Health Association, North Bay and District
T: 249-591-1775
E: ckemsley@nbd.cmha.ca