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Making a Difference
Willow Arts Community is a celebrated peer-led arts organization located in the heart of downtown St. Catharines. We foster safe spaces for creative exploration and connections for people living with mental illness/substance use in Niagara. We offer seasonal, multidisciplinary artistic programming and creative opportunities at no cost to members. Through hands-on participation, members learn new art skills, socialize with like-minded people, and communicate their ideas in an enriching environment.
Mental Health and Addictions Support in Niagara
Are you looking for a fulsome list of mental health and addictions resources and supports for adults, youth and children in Niagara and beyond? The Niagara Ontario Health Team (NOHT) - Equipe Sante Ontario Niagara and its partner organizations have made it easier to navigate what can be a very overwhelming task.
Bell Let's Talk Day - January 22, 2025
This year, Bell Let's Talk Day is putting the spotlight on the growing youth mental health crisis in Canada. Each year, around 1.25 million youth in Canada require mental health services, and 57% of them are not getting the support they need. As teachers, it becomes critical to implement mental health strategies that help students manage stress, build resilience, and improve their emotional regulation. The Kids Help Phone Educator Toolkit can be used to promote mental health literacy within classrooms in order to reduce stigma, increase empathy, and foster a holistic approach to education that nurtures both cognitive and emotional growth.
CMHA's Annual Fundraising Event
Everyone is invited to the Canadian Mental Health Association's (CMHA) fun and fabulous "Wellness for All" event on Thursday, May 8 from 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Ovation Room, 1311 Egerter Road, Thorold. Celebrate mental wellness with food, keynote speaker, and a fast-paced "toonie paddle party" (a cross between an auction and raffle) to raise funds and win fabulous prizes!
Suicide Awareness Trainings
Distress Centre Niagara provides unique quality suicide prevention training that empowers individuals, organizations, and the community to work together to keep people safe. Workshops are being offered in February for both Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) and Suicide Alertness for Everyone (SafeTalk) workshops.
Crisis Support Via Text and Instant Message
Distress Centre Niagara has been offering crisis support by phone for over 50 years. To meet the needs of the younger generation and/or those who would prefer written communication, Distress Centre offers support by text and instant message.
Zero Suicide
Suicide prevention is a global public health concern and system wide collaboration that involves organizations to prevent death by suicide. Niagara Region Public Health, in partnership with St. Joseph's Health Care in London, Ontario, created a toolkit for community organizations to use to enhance suicide prevention work based on the Zero Suicide Framework. This toolkit can support organizations who are not a part of the health care sector in accessing tools to enhance suicide prevention.
How Alcohol and Suicide are Connected
Understanding the factors that are linked to suicide risk is an important part of prevention. The Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) partnered with the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSC) to understand the relationship between alcohol use and suicide, who is most affected, and how to reduce risk.
