Background
Mental Health Service for Diverse Communities in Canada
Canada is one of the most diverse countries in the world. The Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) says that they have been a leader in recognizing the need for better services to meet the needs of everyone living in Canada. What is of interest to IMWELL Centre for Wellness and Optimal Development ( Imwell Centre)and IMWELL Inc, is that in 2008, the MHCC critically began to examine the ability of the mental health systems' role in responding to the diverse needs of immigrant, refugee, ethnocultural, and racialized (IRER) populations in Canada.
2009 they introduced a report with 16 recommendations to improve mental health services for IRER populations. MHCC states that they encourage policymakers to use local data and evidence to plan and develop population-based and flexible services in collaboration with stakeholders, communities, and people with lived experience' (p. 5. MHCC, 2012).
2012 MHCC released a mental health strategy, and today they continue to work towards a significant cause of raising awareness for and improving our mental health services for IRER populations.
Ontario Mental Health Overview
Opening Eyes, Opening Minds: The Ontario Burden of Mental Illness and Addictions Report (2019) states that 'Ontarians suffer a high burden of illness from mental illness and addictions—more than 1.5 times that of all cancers and more than seven times that of all infectious diseases.'
PHO (2020) states that given the significant burden, there is a need to consider population-based promotion, prevention, and treatment strategies to reduce the burden of mental illness and addictions in Ontario.
Imwell Centre
Considering the significant burden and the need for prevention and intervention strategies AND the lack of access to mental health supports designed for marginalized communities, Imwell Centre strives to develop specialized educational programs that 1. promote a culture of equity and social justice for multicultural and multi-faith communities and schools in Ontario. 2. honour diversity in communities and schools in Ontario, 3. Collaborate with community partners to reach target populations that are disproportionately underserved in Ontario, 4. raise awareness for improving our mental health services for multicultural and multi-faith communities. And 5. support local, provincial, national, and global community partners like Imwell Centre striving to provide safer spaces, honour diversity, promote social justice, education, and accessible and equitable mental health access to underserved populations.
Imwell Centre is committed to giving back.
Each employer of IMWELL donates 10% of their income to support IMWELL Inc.
Imwellcentre donates 10% of profit to IMWELL Inc.