Aglukaaq hands out money to improve the mental health of children, youth, families

Ten groups across Canada will receive money from their “innovative, community-based projects to improve the mental health of Canadian children, youth and families,” said Leona Aglukkaq, Nunavut’s MP and the federal minister of Health, today in Toronto.

Of these projects, there’s one earmarked for Nunavut from the Iqaluit-based Qaujigiartiit Health Resource Centre.

Its “Child and Youth Mental Health and Wellness Research, Intervention and Community Advocacy Project” receives $2.4 million from the Public Health Agency of Canada.

According to a June 8 news release, the centre’s project will raise awareness of mental health issues, provide a youth perspective on these issues, and support parents in raising healthy children and youth in communities in Nunavut.

The project includes a summer camp for children nine to 12 in up to six Nunavut communities.

The camps will help youth “become mental health researchers by documenting experiences in their communities, and working with health professionals, families and community members to create and share knowledge about mental health service needs for young people,” said the news release.

“We know that the early years of a person’s development can have a lasting impact on their mental health,” Aglukkaq said. “As a parent, I know that children can be greatly influenced by their home and school environments. And that’s why it’s important to focus on educating parents, families and educators on how to create the best conditions for the good mental health for our kids.”

Two other projects are likely to have a Nunavik-based compenent:

• the Centre de recherche et d’interventions sur le suicide et l’euthanasie of the Université du Québec à Montréal gets $2.5 million for a program which will focus on elementary school students seven to 11 and use illustrated stories that deal with friendship, communication, loneliness, bullying, change, loss and making a new start;

• McGill University receives $2.6 million for a “Culturally-based family centered mental health promotion for Aboriginal youth” to adapt and expand on a family-centered suicide prevention program.

Ottawa is providing over $27 million through the Public Health Agency’s Innovation Strategy to support projects that focus on fostering mental health for children, youth and families in rural and northern communities, aboriginal communities, and those of low socio-economic status.