Duane Hicks
Turn up the volume when you talk about mental health next week.
The Fort Frances branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association has a multitude of activities planned for “Mental Health Week” (May 1-7), the theme of which is “Get Loud.”
“We really wanted to put ‘Mental Health Week’ out there because mental health is such an important part of life,” said Nancy Daley Fulton, educator and trainer with CMHA-FF.
She added mental health issues are very common and people are starting to figure that out.
“So we really wanted to get behind it and do what we could–not just in Fort Frances but across the region,” noted Daley Fulton, adding the CMHA also has offices in Dryden, Kenora, Sioux Lookout, and Red Lake and all of them have events planned for next week.
CMHA-FF is trying to get the public’s attention in several ways and spark discussion.
For example, the CMHA building at 612 Portage Ave. will be decorated with green lights and banners–something that will be sure to catch people’s eyes and prompt questions, said Daley Fulton.
“Why is the building lit up with green lights? Oh, it’s Mental Health Week?
“What does that mean? Why is the CMHA flag at the town hall? Because it’s Mental Health Week.’ We really want to promote that,” she explained.
Meanwhile, the Riverside Community Counselling building will be decorated with a banner and trees decorated with green bows, and a display board will be set up there with tips for good mental health.
A Photovoice project done with Onigaming First Nation will be displayed at the Fort Frances Library Technology Centre next week.
Daley Fulton facilitated that project with the community.
“They chose the theme, they did the photos, they did the narratives,” she remarked, noting at least a portion of the recent project will be ready for display next week.
The Photovoice project focuses on depression and suicide–a theme which is “extremely close and pertinent to them,” said Daley Fulton.
There will be a flag-raising at the Civic Centre at 11 a.m. on Monday.
Then on Tuesday, a mental health booth will be set up at Fort Frances High School from 10 a.m.-1 p.m., along with an “Elephant in the Room” anti-stigma presentation at 10:15 a.m.
These are open to FFHS students.
The “Elephant in the Room” is a national anti-stigma program designed by a peer support program in Simcoe, Ont. that encourages participants to talk about mental illness.
“The ‘Elephant in the Room’ is mental illness,” said Daley Fulton. “And the reason we don’t want to talk about it is because of the stigma associated with it.
“We don’t want it to be our brother, our sister, our parent, our grandparent, ourselves–we just want to ignore it and maybe it will go away,” she reasoned.
The program urges participants to adopt a little blue elephant to let others know they care about the wellness of others, and demonstrate it is safe to talk to them about mental illness without fear of being viewed differently.
“The elephant means you can talk about your problems, your concerns, and not be treated poorly, and be given respect and dignity,” said Daley Fulton.
“You can do that in confidence and I’ll listen.”
An informational display on seniors’ mental health will be set up at Rainycrest on Wednesday from 1:30-4:30 p.m.
This is open to the public–and everyone is welcome to drop by.
Also that afternoon, a book entitled “Checklist for Change” will be presented to Rainycrest administration, Daley Fulton said.
This book, which will be presented to long-term care homes across the region to use as a resource, provides easy-to-use tools for organizations to put dementia ability methods into practice.
“So it focuses on abilities rather than disabilities, and how to make those changes and how to focus on those things,” said Daley Fulton.
A workshop, “Hearing Voices That Are Distressing,” will be held Thursday from 9 a.m.-noon at the Northwest Community Legal Clinic.
It, too, is open to community but pre-registration required by calling 274-2347 ext. 207.
Then on Friday, CMHA-FF will have a tent and informational display, along with activity sheets, from 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. at Tim Hortons.
This also is open to the public.
More “Elephant in the Room” anti-stigma presentations will be held for students at Fort High on Friday from 12:30-1:10 p.m.
