- Chinese Mental Wellness Association of Canada
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The Chinese Mental Wellness Association of Canada (Chinese: 加拿大華人情緒健康協會) is a non profitting, volunteer based organization.
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Mission
The mission of CMWAC is to provide mental health education and information to affected Canadians and their families, to offer a wide range of supportive and referral services such as counselling, advocacy and support to mental health consumers and their families, and to build support networks where people can share their experiences and have a nurturing environment that promotes recovery and well-being.[1]
CMWAC objective is to help and empower people in the community by supporting those with mental illness to recover, self improvement and thus reduce the social stigma by educating people through the provision of services in regards to health issues and promoting mental wellness
Main Objectives:
- Provide mental health education and information to affected Canadians and their families.
- Offer a wide range of supportive and referral services such as counselling, advocacy and support to mental health consumers and their families.
- Build support networks where people can share their experiences and have a nurturing environment that promotes recovery and well-being
History
CMWAC (formally the Richmond Chinese Mental Health Support Group) is a registered non-profit charitable organization that was established in 1995 as a grassroots organization.[2]
CMWAC is known for giving support to those with mental challenges, educating the community about mental illness for prevention and early intervention, and in particular providing outreach support for those with culture and language barriers. CMWAC is located in the heart of Richmond BC, a popular area for diversity of ethnic groups to live. Through the efforts of dedicated volunteers and a clear mission, CMWAC aspires to reduce social stigma associated with mental illness by educating the community about mental health issues. CMWAC's main objectives are to provide education and information services, to provide counselling, advocacy, and support to mental health consumers and their families, and to build a support network where sharing experiences among consumers and family members may occur in a safe and nurturing environment. CMWAC approach this crucial task with the awareness of the social and cultural conditions that often hide the Chinese mind beneath layers of Confucius teachings. Through knowledge, experience, understanding, and sensitivity to the unique cultural sanctions by which emotions are experienced, conceptualized, and expressed in the Chinese, CMWAC seeks to reduce the social stigma associated with mental illness within Canadian culture and Chinese-Canadian culture.
CMWAC provides services to over 300 members in the Vancouver and Richmond areas and has provided services to more than 700 people since its inception. Some of the services provided by CMWAC include seminars on how to improve communication skills and self-esteem, educational programs tailored to those experiencing depression, anxiety, or extreme stress, community independence programs, and older adult services. One of the organization's crowning achievements is the innovative development of a peer support program. This service provides one-on-one assistance to people who are recovering from mental illness. Peer support workers, who have personal experience with mental illness, are trained in CMWAC-developed program to help the consumer work towards goals that foster independence and mental wellness. Together, the peer support worker and consumer achieve goals, such as accessing community resources, stress managements, taking the bus, and budgeting. Potential consumers learn of CMWAC through the Red Book Directory of Community Services (a list of community services in the Vancouver/Richmond Health District published by the local health authority), hospital referrals, public speakers, and by work-of-mouth. Consumers are mainly Chinese-Canadians, but services are open to all ethnicities and anyone who is interested in receiving support for improving their mental wellness.
CMWAC is headed by a volunteer Board of Directors including other professional psychiatrist, a general practitioner, a Peer Support councillor, and the founding members of the organization. In addition, numerous individuals from all walks of life volunteer their time and energy to improving mental health in their community. Initial funding originated from the Vancouver Richmond Coastal Health Authority with continued funding from the BC Gaming branch and the private sector. Fundraising, donations, and membership fees account for additional revenues. By educating the community about mental health issues and providing valuable life skills to those with the greatest need and their families, the CMWAC is taking a long stride towards dispelling the social stigma associated with mental illness and promoting mental wellness.
References
External links
Categories:- Mental health organizations in Canada
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
