Bringing mental health support to where people live
St. Joe’s partners with Mission Services to create innovative project where neighbours create a safe space for those suffering mental illness.
Sarah Moir understands firsthand the barriers that make it difficult for people to access mental health services in inner city neighbourhoods like Gibson-Landsdale (GALA).
"I had some episodes in storefronts in this neighbourhood and it would have been really good for me if someone had basic training to know how to be helpful, not hurtful," said Moir.
Moir is now one of two Community Connectors trained by St. Joe's who are part of a pilot project that brings mental health resources and support directly into the neighbourhood to better support community members who may be in distress or wanting mental health services. The project, called Mental Health Safe Space, launches on Wednesday, June 28 in the GALA neighbourhood and is the first of its kind in Canada. It is a joint project of St. Joe's and Mission Services of Hamilton.
"I think that a lot of people in the Barton Street area are needing services and they're not getting met. So we're coming out to the people," said Bonnie Weeks, also a Community Connector.
Moir and Weeks are bringing a model of training and support to local community organizations with the goal of decreasing stigma associated with mental illness, and providing information and mental health supports to those in need, right in their own community.
There are currently 10 local businesses and organizations in GALA that have volunteered to be Safe Space designated. These businesses will be recognizable by the prominent placement of a Mental Health Safe Space logo in a street-facing window and each designated Safe Space has trained Community Champions who work in these organizations. The Community Champions will provide support and reduce stigma by recognizing someone in distress. The Champions have access to the resources and information to refer someone to a Safe Space Community Connector who can provide extra support, resources and help to access services.
Mary McGowan, Owner, The River Trading Company, was eager to become a designated Safe Spaces location.
"It's really for very practical reasons," said McGowan. "I want to be better able to welcome and help people in the neighbourhood who may be having a crisis in my store."
McGowan went through the Safe Space training process that included guidance on what to say and how to maintain positive body language when helping someone who may need mental health support. She also was given a Safe Space binder that includes contact information for additional mental health resources and support. McGowan explained that the training was not to make Community Champions experts but to give them tools to offer support and link community members with additional resources or the Community. There are currently 33 Community Champions who have completed the Mental Health Safe Space training provided by St. Joe's, and an additional 36 champions are registered to be trained by September 2017.
"I like to feel like I am part of the community I am living in," said McGowan. "I can't imagine living somewhere and not engaging. When everybody is the same, when it's a homogenous neighbhourhood, it's kind of boring. It's that diversity that gives flavor and excitement and zing to the neighbourhood, so that's why I quite like it."
Mental Health Safe Space is a pilot project that is currently funded by a seed grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation to continue until December 2017. The project is looking to achieve additional funding to continue beyond December and to spread to other neighbourhoods in the Greater Hamilton Area.
Currently 10 businesses and organizations have volunteered to be Safe Spaces:
River Trading Co.
Mission Services of Hamilton, Community Services
Vagabond Saints
De Mazenod Door Ministry at St. Patrick's Church
Helping Hands Street Mission
Fan-Tastic Scholars East Inc.
Barton Street branch of the Hamilton Public Library
541 Eatery & Exchange
Barton Village Business Improvement Area office
The Second Bowl
About Mental Health Safe Space
Mental Health Safe Space was created from a joint research initiative called the EXTRA project, led by St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton and Mission Services Hamilton. The focus of the project was to work collaboratively with an inner city neighbourhood to identify and implement improvement initiatives that decrease barriers to care at St. Joseph's Mental Health and Addiction Program outpatient services. Research will continue on the project to evaluate its success. Learn more about the research behind the project.
For more information about Mental Health Safe Space or the EXTRA project contact:
Claire Kislinsky at ckislins@stjoes.ca or Fiona Wilson at fwilson@stjoes.ca