Bell Let’s Talk Supports Creation of Wellness Peer Networks for NOSM’s Residents

The Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) is pleased to receive a $30,000 grant from the Bell Let’s TalkCommunity Fund. The grant was presented to Dr. Catherine Cervin, NOSM Associate Dean, Postgraduate Education and Dr. David Marsh, NOSM Acting Dean and Associate Dean, Community Engagement during the Sudbury Wolves game against the Soo Greyhounds at the Sudbury Community Arena on January 18. The funds will support an initiative to educate and promote wellness and resilience for the School’s residents (physicians in their post-MD training years—see backgrounder below).

With the funds from Bell Let’s Talk, NOSM is creating Wellness Peer Networks, which includes developing curriculum focused on crucial conversations and cultural competency for residents. The Wellness Peer Networks will provide residents with mental health resources and will develop supportive networks to enable them to have a positive impact on the mental health and well-being of those who live in rural and remote Northern communities. Using the School’s advanced technology such as videoconferencing, these networks will promote resilience and wellness, reduce the stigma of mental illness, and develop health-care professionals who can address mental health issues in Northern Ontario including among Aboriginal and Francophone communities.

“Northern Ontarians deserve healthy communities that promote good mental health and well-being, as well as a responsive, culturally appropriate mental health care delivery system. This does not exist in all our Northern Ontario communities yet,” said Dr. Cervin. “These wellness networks will provide further education to NOSM residents to enable them to protect their own mental health during the stress of their education, while also equipping them with the ability to provide high-quality care to future patients who may be struggling with mental health challenges. We are grateful for the support from the Bell Let’s Talk Community Fund in developing a healthier Northern Ontario.”

“Bell Let’s Talk is very proud to support the Northern Ontario School of Medicine’s Wellness Peer Networks program,” said Mary Deacon, Chair of Bell Let’s Talk. “The Bell Let’s Talk Community Fund supported over 50 organizations over the past year, in every region of the country, all of which are making a difference in the lives of people living with mental illness, and the family and friends who support them. Over the last five years, the Bell Let’s Talk Community Fund has invested more than $5 million in hundreds of community programs and services that improve access to mental health care.”

Bell Let’s Talk Day is January 27
On January 27, for every text message, wireless and long distance call made by Bell Aliant and Bell Canada customers, or for every tweet using #BellLetsTalk, and every Facebook share of the Bell Let’s Talk Day image at Facebook.com/BellLetsTalk, Bell will donate 5 cents to support Canadian mental health programs. Over the first five Bell Let’s Talk Days, Bell has committed a total of $73,623,413.80 to support mental health initiatives across the country.

Bell’s donations are made at no extra charge to Bell Let’s Talk Day participants, though normal long distance or text charges if any, apply.

About Bell Let’s Talk

The Bell Let’s Talk initiative promotes Canadian mental health with national awareness and anti-stigma campaigns, like Clara’s Big Ride for Bell Let’s Talk and Bell Let’s Talk Day, and significant Bell funding of community care and access, research, and workplace initiatives. To learn more, please visit Bell.ca/LetsTalk.

Backgrounder

Residents are individuals who have graduated from an MD program, and are now doctors. Delivered via accredited residency (postgraduate) programs in Canadian medical schools, residency education allows doctors to practice medicine with the supervision of a practicing physician, while learning their chosen medical specialty. Residency is the final stage of medical education, prior to College certification and practice as an independent and fully-licensed physician.

NOSM offers high-quality, community-based residency education in family medicine and eight major general specialties, including general surgery, internal medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, psychiatry, orthopedic surgery, anesthesiology, and public health and preventive medicine. Visit nosm.ca/postgrad for more information.

For more information, kindly contact: news@nosm.ca