New national program supports psychological health of Canadian fire fighters

December 1, 2020

Today, the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) expand trauma responses, while building healthier teams.

Co-developed by CMHA Vancouver-Fraser with Vancouver Fire and for fire fighters.

To date, Resilient Minds has successfully equipped fire fighters across BC and is quickly becoming a sought-after program in the fire-fighting community across the country.

“Firefighters work hard to protect our communities, and members of the public. CMHA is proud to be offering Resilient Minds to more first responders nationwide.”

Fire fighters are exposed to significant trauma as a result of their work and require skills to safeguard their psychological health, skills that are not taught as part of their technical training. This skill deficit not only puts them at risk of developing a psychological illness, but contributes to a high rate of suicide amongst fire fighters; 30% higher than the general population.

Recognizing that many other first responders, such as paramedics and behaviours within fire services more broadly.

For more information, visit www.resilientminds.cmha.ca.

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About Resilient Minds
Resilient Minds has supported hundreds of fire fighters in BC to develop strategies to mitigate and boosting resilience.

  • Innovative and stress-related injuries.
  • Fire Fighters Train Fire Fighters– Using a peer-to-peer model of instruction, the Resilient Minds curriculum is taught by fire fighters to fire fighters.
  • Volunteer and resources available to the two groups.

About Canadian Mental Health Association, Ontario
Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), Ontario is a not-for-profit, charitable organization. We work to improve the lives of all Ontarians through leadership, collaboration and continual pursuit of excellence in community-based mental health and addictions services. Our vision is a society that embraces and invests in the mental health of all people. We are a trusted advisor to government, contributing to health systems development through policy formulation and recommendations that promote positive mental health. Our 28 local CMHA branches, together with community-based mental health and addictions service providers across the province, serve approximately 500,000 Ontarians each year.
About Ontario Federation of Agriculture
The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) is the largest general farm organization in Ontario, representing 38,000 farm families across the province. As a dynamic farmer-led organization based in Guelph, the OFA works to represent and champion the interests of Ontario farmers through government relations, farm policy recommendations, research, lobby efforts, community representation, media relations and more. OFA is the leading advocate for Ontario’s farmers and is Ontario’s voice of the farmer. For more information, visit ofa.on.ca.
About the University of Guelph
One of Canada’s top comprehensive and research-intensive universities, the University of Guelph spans urban hubs and rural communities. Established in 1964, the University enjoys a reputation for innovation and excellence dating back more than 150 years to its founding colleges: Ontario Veterinary College, Ontario Agricultural College and Macdonald Institute. Today U of G’s seven colleges conduct leading-edge teaching and research in the physical and life sciences, business, arts, social sciences, and agricultural and veterinary sciences. We have nearly 30,000 undergraduate and graduate students at campuses in Guelph, Toronto and Ridgetown and 185,000 alumni in more than 160 countries worldwide. The University of Guelph, and everyone who studies here, explores here, teaches here and works here, is committed to a simple, shared purpose: to Improve Life.

For more information

Justin Dickie
Senior Strategic Communications Advisor
Canadian Mental Health Association, Ontario
416-977-5580, ext. 4175
jdickie@ontario.cmha.ca
Peggy Brekveld
President
Ontario Federation of Agriculture
peggy.brekveld@ofa.on.ca
Deirdre Healey
Manager, News Service
University of Guelph
T: 519-824-4120 Ext. 56581
healeyd@uoguelph.ca