CMHA Waterloo Wellington receives $245K boost for distress hotline

Thanks to some federal funding, help will be easier to find in Guelph and at the touch of a button.

The Canadian Mental Health Association Waterloo Wellington is receiving over $245,000 from the federal government to support the Here 24-7 crisis response and referral system.

Among the dignitaries on hand for Thursday’s announcement at the CMHA office on Woolwich Street was Guelph MP Lloyd Longfield.

He said the service has seen a spike in the number of calls made.

“When it was launched, we didn’t know what the demand was going to be. It turned out it was a lot more than we thought it was going to be and then, as we got further into providing support through CMHA, we saw there was a need to address diversity and inclusion in a more substantial way,” Longfield said.

Longfield said the service will also provide support for people facing barriers in the community, whether it’s racism or gender diversity.

“What we hope, ultimately, is that they aren’t facing those barriers, that they eliminate those barriers, and in the meantime, we have a terrific team of support for them,” he said.

Jeff Stanlick, director of services at CMHA, said the money will specifically address gaps in diversity, equity, and inclusion.

“The needs have changed and it’s evolved,” Stanlick said.

“The needs have changed, and we need to do better in many areas when it comes to equity, diversity and inclusion. And this is going to be a really great opportunity to modernize how we do services.”

More than $78,000 is also going to Compass Community Services to meet the diverse needs of the population.

The distress line also received $150,000 in funding in 2023 from the Community Service Recovery Fund.

He said the money will be put towards a variety of areas such as training initiatives, opportunities, data collection and software.

In addition to being available 24/7, Stanlick said the accessibility of services is what separates the program from others.

“It’s coordinating people’s access in a system that’s hard for anybody to navigate,” he said.

“We’re much more than a crisis service. We also have relationships with many of our community partners we work closely with and can connect people in a timely manner when it matters the most.”

Stanlick said the caller will also feel more secure and safer, ensuring they have a much better experience.

“Expanding our interpretation services network, expanding the opportunities to better train our staff and our community on cultural competency and being attune to the needs of many communities, that’s going to make a difference, and somebody who calls will certainly sense that shift,” he said.

The funding is part of the federal government’s $8-million commitment for the distress equity line fund.