Health care worker receiving support
Image Credit: Adobe Stock
December 19, 2022 - 8:00 AM
There’s a valuable service hidden in plain sight for people working in both the healthcare or social services sectors in the Okanagan Valley. If your job is to support the wellness of our province’s citizens, you understand the mental health challenges and emotional fatigue of this post-Covid time.
Help is available for you — and it’s free. Care to Speak is a peer mental health talk support program offered by the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA). It offers the simplicity of an understanding ear with the wisdom of industry knowledge.
Mental Health Support by Online Chat
We reached out to Vernon’s Care to Speak Program Supervisor, Kelsey Tkachuk, to find out how people in B.C. can receive free mental health support.
“Folks who have gone the extra mile for a couple of years now are tired. They know the system isn’t keeping up with the strain. We created a compassionate resource for expert care when health and social service professionals need it,” Tkachuk explained.
In partnership with Safe Care, the Canadian Mental Health Association, and provincial funding support, Care to Speak offers live online, phone, and text connection.
“The volunteers we train are health and social service workers. They understand the unique stresses engulfing their peers,” Tkachuk continued.
Those who are interested are encouraged to take a look at the Care to Speak website for more information on how to access help or get involved as a peer.
Care To Speak Volunteer
Image Credit: CMHA
Longer Hours & More Help
Beginning in January 2023, Care to Speak mental health volunteers will be available from 10 am - 10 pm every weekday. They have expanded the program from their current hours on Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 9 pm. The service is free and is accessible through Care to Speak’s website or by calling 1-866-802-7337. All contact is confidential, and Care to Speak operates outside of employer, union, and institutional structures for caller confidence.
Whether you work in a health care setting, have a social service role in the community, or are caring for an aging relative at home, Care to Speak offers the help you need when your reserve tank runs low. Reach out today by phone or online chat for help. Accessing the understanding of peers can make all the difference.
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