Canadian Mental Health Association Central Alberta wants people to Speak Up for Mental Health by taking a survey.
The 24-question survey will be used to gather opinions about what mental health and wellness education should look like in the coming years.
“Education alone may not prevent mental illness and substance abuse, but through education we can help individuals with these challenges, and their families, learn the facts, explore strategies for recovery and develop the skills to manage their lives,” said Theresa Therriault, CMHA manager of programs.
“Mental health is more than treatment of illness. It is also about wellness, and includes education about such things as work-life balance and managing stress.”
Therriault said survey results will also assist the association in its role as an advocate for mental health services.
She said it’s been seven years since the last survey.
“It’s well overdue in terms of getting more current information about what people need,” Therriault said on Monday.
“Because things are growing and changing we really want to be responsive with our mental health education programming. Mental health affects everyone.”
She said CMHA hopes at least 1,000 people will fill out the survey. Seven years ago 800 responded.
The association wants to hear from people who use mental health services, family members and friends, the general public, and a wide variety of service providers.
Survey questions look at relationships and communication; mental health services and treatment; workplace mental health; and mental health recovery and wellness.
“People who answer the survey can weigh in on any one of those areas. People don’t have to answer all the questions. They can pick and choose which area is perhaps is the most relevant to them.”
Therriault said the whole survey would take about 10 minutes to half an hour to complete depending on a person’s literacy level.
People can take the survey on-line by going to www.speakupformentahealth.com or visiting the CMHA website at www.reddeer.cmha.ca. To get a paper copy of the survey, or for more information, call 403-342-2266.
Responses will be collected until December 28, 2017.
szielinski@reddeeradvocate.com
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