(Canada) Ontario is investing another $32 million in a new programme to provide mental health supports to first responders and public safety personnel.
The new Mental Health Supports for Public Safety Personnel programme (MHS4PSP) will provide specialised services for police officers, firefighters, correctional workers, paramedics, and others who support Ontario’s public safety system.
This funding is part of the $45.2 million announced in the 2022 Budget for programmes focusing on early intervention, access to specialised mental health services and creation of an online provincewide inventory of available services and supports for public safety personnel.
Overall, there was a 140% increase year-on-year in the number of employers struggling to manage poor mental health across their workforce, finds a survey of employers in Canada, Australia, Ireland, and New Zealand, according to a previous report from the Peninsula Group.
MHS4PSP will also support the creation of an Anti-Stigma Strategy designed to remove potentially harmful stigmas around asking for help. Based on the findings of a recent report, the goal of the strategy is to help create work environments where people feel confident to seek mental health support.
It will include:
- A website with mental health resources specific to public safety personnel.
- A leadership support network.
- Training to equip leaders with the skills and knowledge to support mental health in their organisations.
- Recommended mental health practices for organisations.
The programme initiatives and the Anti-Stigma Strategy will roll out in phases. A call for applications, inviting organisations to apply for funding under the grant, will be rolled out in early 2025.
What you’ll get: