(Toronto, Feb. 11, 2019) – Canadian Mental Health Association, Ontario Division, is pleased to announce that Henry Schein Canada, Inc. has made a $20,000 donation to the Talk Today program in support of youth athlete mental health.
“CMHA Ontario is doing incredible work to create mental health awareness and reduce stigma among athletes with a program that has grown to be adopted nationwide,” said Henry Schein Canada, Inc. President Cy Elborne. “Talk Today’s growth is a testament to its effectiveness and Henry Schein is pleased to be able to support its continued development and expansion with this donation.”
Originally launched by CMHA Ontario in partnership with the Ontario Hockey League in 2014, Talk Today provides an important opportunity to address the mental health needs of athletes across Canada. Talk Today has since expanded across the Canadian Hockey League to include the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and the Western Hockey League.
Beyond hockey, CMHA Ontario has created Talk Today partnerships with high schools, colleges, universities and minor sports organizations across the country.
Through this program, CMHA Ontario has been able to provide mental health and suicide awareness training to over 3,400 young athletes and team personnel. As part of the program, Talk Today hosts annual awareness games which help to spread awareness about positive mental health and mental wellness.
Another unique aspect of this program is classroom visits that some athletes make in partnership with CMHA experts. These in-school presentations to students help to raise awareness about mental wellness and dealing with stress. To date, more than 5,000 elementary school students have participated.
The funds from Henry Schein will support Talk Today program expansion and training.
“We were thrilled when we learned that Henry Schein Canada was interested in making this very generous donation to our Talk Today program,” said CMHA Ontario CEO Camille Quenneville. “With their $20,000 commitment, we’ll be able to continue to grow the program and ensure athletes and young adults are receiving the mental health support they need.
Fast facts:
- In total, 45 CMHA branches/divisions nationally are involved in Talk Today as overseen by CMHA Ontario.
- Since Talk Today’s inception in 2014, over 2,800 athletes have received suicide-awareness workshops.
- About 700 support staff (coaches, office staff, billet families) have received suicide-awareness workshops alongside athletes.
About Henry Schein Inc.
Henry Schein, Inc. is a health solutions network powered by people and technology. With more than 22,000 Team Schein members serving more than one million customers globally, Henry Schein is the world’s largest provider of business, clinical, technology and supply chain solutions to enhance the efficiency of office-based dental, animal health and medical practitioners. Henry Schein also serves dental laboratories, government and institutional health care clinics and other alternate care sites. A Fortune 500 company and a member of the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq 100 indexes, Henry Schein’s network of trusted advisors provides health care professionals with the valued solutions they need to improve operational success and clinical outcomes. Henry Schein offers customers exclusive, innovative products and solutions, including practice management software, e-commerce solutions, specialty and surgical products, as well as a broad range of financial services.
About Canadian Mental Health Association, Ontario
Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), Ontario is a not-for-profit, charitable organization funded by the provincial Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. We work to improve the lives of all Ontarians through leadership, collaboration and continual pursuit of excellence in community-based mental health and addictions services. Our vision is a society that embraces and invests in the mental health of all people. We are a trusted advisor to government, contributing to health systems development through policy formulation and recommendations that promote positive mental health. Our 30 local CMHA branches, together with community-based mental health and addictions service providers across the province, serve approximately 500,000 Ontarians each year.
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For more information, contact:
Joe Kim
Director, Communications
Canadian Mental Health Association, Ontario
T: 416-977-5580, ext. 4141
E: jkim@ontario.cmha.ca
Kim Currah
Director, Human Resources
Henry Schein Canada, Inc.
T: 905-646-1711, ext. 3093
E: kim.currah@henryschein.ca