Supporting Frontline Health Care Workers

November 9, 2021

Supporting Frontline Health-Care Workers is a program that has been developed specifically to address the unique needs of Ontario’s frontline health-care workers throughout Ontario as they grapple with issues precipitated by the pandemic. The program recognizes there are specific mental health needs within various frontline health-care environments, and is facilitated through MHW and CMHA Ontario.

This pandemic has created uncertainty, constant change, fear of exposing loved ones to a novel virus and high levels of moral distress for our health care workforce. Mental Health Works believes that addressing mental health in the workplace is critical to supporting the wellbeing of health-care workers now, and beyond the pandemic. The lifting of restrictions does not erase the experiences that frontline health-care workers have faced, and MHW is committed to providing safe spaces for health-care workers and leaders alike to learn, share, and grow together with the hope of strengthening psychologically healthy and safe workplaces where frontline workers can thrive.

MHW’s Supporting Frontline Health Care Workers is available to all:

• Hospital and acute-care staff

• Long-term care staff

• Community health care workers, including those serving specialized populations

• Health-care services for Indigenous populations

• Public health professionals

• Health care leaders

• Other workers in health-related organizations

If you would like to bring this program to your healthcare workplace, please reach out to frontline@ontario.cmha.ca for more information.

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.