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Let's Talk

Tuesday, 28 January 2014 at 11:56

Mental Health takes the spotlight in social media campaign

The hashtag has gone viral today, but are people getting the meaning behind Bell Let's Talk Day?

Today, for every tweet and re-tweet sent out using the hashtag - #BellLetsTalk, 5-cents gets donated towards mental health initiatives in Canada.

In Oxford, Director of Crisis, Outreach, and Specialized Services, Lynn Wardell tells Heart FM what she hopes people will take away from the day.  "To realize that people who are ill shouldn't have to suffer without treatment and support, because we don't expect that for people who have cancer or heart disease.  Yet because of the stigma being so negative, we still have 1 out of 3 people who don't seek out help or treatment when they're suffering from a mental illness."

Aside from erasing the stigma of mental health issues, the day is also about raising a lot of money.  The funding is put into a pool of money that will be distributed through community grants in four areas: anti-stigma, cure and access, workplace health, and research.

Wardell says Oxford County's CMHA plans on applying for some of the grant money.  "We have a crisis and outreach program here, but we're not funded for under 16, so we're hoping to get some funds to help provide some crisis support for youth in this area."

Last year, 96,266,266 calls, texts, tweets and Facebook shares by Canadians on Bell Let's Talk Day equated to over $4.8-million for mental health programs.

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