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and suicide prevention

Canadian Mental Health teams up with Bulldogs and Grizzlys for mental health awareness campaign

Oct 8, 2021 | 3:19 PM

Hockey’s back! The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) central Alberta Region is proud to support the Blackfalds Bulldogs and the Olds Grizzlys with Talk Today, a suicide-prevention and mental health awareness program, for the 2021-22 season.

With generous support from the NHL Foundation and Fifth Line Foundation, players across the Canadian Junior Hockey League stand to benefit from one of the most comprehensive mental health programs for amateur sports in Canada.

Talk Today was created in 2014 and is now offered by more than 50 CMHAs to junior hockey partners nationwide. Talk Today has four key elements:

  • Mandatory evidence-based mental health and suicide awareness workshops for athletes that enable them to not only recognize when a teammate or others may be struggling, but gives them tools to speak openly about suicide and assist in getting individuals support.
  • A designated CMHA Mental Health Coach is connected to each team so that they can help in case someone with the club is struggling or seeking mental health information or services.
  • Talk Today game days with related social media activities to raise awareness and reduce the stigma associated with mental health and addictions issues.
  • A club Mental Health Champion who works with CMHA personnel to help implement the training and awareness activities.’

Talk Today and the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) began a partnership in the fall of 2019-20 season. Since then, the two partners have worked together to train more than 560 participants in suicide prevention across the CJHL.

“CMHA Central Alberta is happy to be working with the Blackfalds Bulldogs and the Olds Grizzlys to bring mental health awareness and suicide prevention training to the young athletes on the team,” says Christine Stewart, executive director of CMHA central Alberta.

“We are very thankful for this partnership with CMHA Central Alberta.There are many factors that can affect the well-being of our hockey players, and it’s important to us that they know there’s support available,” said Adam West, Assistant General Manager of the Blackfalds Bulldogs.

Read more about Talk Today.

Fast facts:

  • Talk Today was launched in 2014 and the initiative has since expanded into junior hockey leagues, high schools, colleges, universities and minor sports organizations across the country.
  • Since 2014, more than 5,000 Talk Today participants have been trained in safeTALK, a globally recognized suicide-prevention workshop.
  • #TalkToday on social media has earned more than 62 million impressions since 2014.