CMHA Ottawa recognizes world mental health day

On Thursday, Oct. 10, 2019, CMHA Ottawa will join international mental health organizations to celebrate World Mental Health Day.

World Mental Health Day is supported by the World Health Organization as an important way to raise awareness and advocate for better care for those with mental health issues worldwide. The theme this year is working together to prevent suicide, in recognition of the scale of suicide around the world and the role that each of us can play to help prevent it.

(Visit this link to read about Ottawa’s longstanding suicide prevention crusade, Renée Ouimet.)

Nearly 800,000 people die by suicide every year. For each suicide, there are over 20 suicide attempts. Suicide can have a ripple effect, impacting families, friends, colleagues, communities and societies. It’s the second-leading cause of death among 15-to-29-year-olds and 79 per cent of suicides occur in low and middle-income countries. However, suicide is preventable and working together we can make change.

CMHA branches across the province provide a variety of mental health programs. CMHA Ottawa offers ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training), ASIST Tune-Up and safeTALK.

For more information on mental health services offered by CMHA Ottawa, visit our services page.

To find more information about suicide prevention in Ontario, visit http://ontario.cmha.ca/documents/preventing-suicide/