Access to mental health care is consistently the number one concern for individuals living with mental illness in the community. Despite a vast array of quality programs and services, people struggle to find and engage the care they need to get well.

In the healthcare system, it’s a tale of two doors.

The first door, entered by someone looking for physical health care, leads to a doctor familiar with diagnosis and treatment, as well as the pathway to more specialized care. The road forward is clear.

The second, leading to mental health care, is for many Albertans seemingly closed. This happens for many reasons: lack of mental health literacy, stigma, and unclear pathways to resources prevents many individuals needing support from reaching out for help.The path forward to recovery often feels uncertain.

That’s why it is ever important that we have the support of individuals like you so we can simplify and improve access to vital mental health services. You helped us raise an incredible $1,616,947 this year, all earmarked for projects that greatly improve access to mental health care. Together, we’re rewriting the mental health script by opening the door to appropriate, barrier-free, integrated care.

There is so much to celebrate this year. But above all, your support has opened the door for individuals with mental illness to hope.

Thank you, from all of us at the Mental Health Foundation.

Stimulating Impact

It’s a genuine example of how community can impact change for good. This past year, thanks to many individual donations, and a $122,000 grant from the Edmonton Civic Employees Charitable Assistance Fund, we finally opened the doors to not one, but two clinic spaces offering brain stimulation for treatment-resistant depression.
From one person speaking up at our 2017 Mental Health Foundation Breakfast, to hundreds of people answering his call and donating, individuals with treatment resistant depression now have a new opportunity to get well. For those whose path to recovery felt hopeless, it’s a light at the end of the tunnel.

Finding Hope at Long Last

After 20 years of living with depression, Sharon was ready to try anything to manage her pain. One of the first patients to receive publicly available brain stimulation in Edmonton, she’s now able to live the life she’s always wanted.

Sharon

rTMS: What is it?

Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation uses magnets to stimulate targeted areas of the brain, regulating emotion. Brain stimulation is painless, non-invasive and virtually free of side effects.

Watch Video
rTMS Brain Stimulation
Hide Stats

5 machines now in operation in Edmonton

55 Patients have received rTMS treatments since November 1st, 2018

rTMs Clinic in Downtown Edmonton began treating first cohort of 18 on Sept 9, 2019

Early Impact

Over half of people receiving rTMs have experienced a significant response (symptoms reduced by half).

An additional ¼ of individuals are anticipated to have their symptoms reduced by 30%

The transformation to happy and hopeful is astonishing after just a short time receiving rTMS at the Day Hospital. I have to wonder how different my life might have been if these resources had been available when I was younger. I thank you for giving generously to the future mental health of so many.”

Sharon, rTMS patient

Bringing a Community Philosophy to a Hospital Environment

Donor support helped open the doors to the first Day Hospital in the Edmonton Zone this year, providing an alternative to hospitalization for individuals with severe mental illness. Hospital stays can leave patients feeling frustrated and isolated from their communities. Your support means that patients can now benefit from a therapeutic setting during the day, while returning home to their family, friends, and community at night.

Surviving to Thriving

Len lived with bipolar disorder for 30 years, but spent most of it maintaining the appearance of success. Beneath the surface, he was flailing. Thanks to his time at the Day Hospital, Len learned the skills he needed to truly manage his illness, and begin living his life.

Len
Hide Stats

Research says that Acute Day Hospitals provide a feasible alternative for
18.4% to 39.1% of acute inpatients

106 individuals transitioned out of an inpatient unit through the Day Hospital, shortening the length of their hospital stay and opening up beds.

Attendance can be 3 to 5 days per week,
with participation for a half or full day, with patients going home at 7 PM.

53% of patients indicated Group Therapy as the most helpful service they received at Day Hospital

Day Hospital provides a cost-effective alternative to inpatient care for acutely ill patients.

109 individuals were referred to Day Hospital from emergency rooms, easing the challenge of finding them a bed, and allowing them to stay in the community.

Daily interaction with the outside world provides patients with good opportunities
to develop skills and maintain a family support system.

Opening a New Front Door to Care

Another highly anticipated door opened this Spring: Addiction and Mental Health Access 24/7, a new front door for adults to access mental health services around the clock every day of the week. You may know it best from our #onedooryeg campiagn in partnership with the Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation. The new centre represents a shift in how care is offered rather than just adding to what is offered. There is a roadmap to recovery for everyone, and in Edmonton that road now starts here

Toward Recovery Together

Over the last four years, Connie supported her son as he managed periods of severe mental illness. When she discovered Access 24/7, she felt she finally found a place that could put him on the road to recovery.

Connie's Story image
Hide Stats

In first 3 months

1021 walk-ins

293 walked in outside traditional clinic hours

Average wait time:
23 minutes

55% of those walking
in self-referred

18,548 phone calls
in first 3 months

Looking Forward
Opening Doors for Youth in Alberta

Donors to the Foundation ensure that the best solutions are available to improve mental health. Individuals who desire to make a difference for children and youth will soon have the opportunity to contribute to an initiative that will better serve the thousands of youth who require addiction and mental health services–many of whom do not know where to go for help.

Adolescence and young adulthood is a vulnerable time for the development of mental health disorders. So many youth and families struggle needlessly to find care. Integrated youth services are the solution. No doubt. No stigma. Just help when youth need it. Through support of the Foundation’s initiative, you can ensure that youth in the province receive evidence-based care, in the right place by the right provider.

A Different Way to Live

For families like the Bowie’s, finding the right mental health care is much harder than it should be. Cameron and Janice Bowie’s daughter Gabby spent 5 years waiting to get connected to services that would help her, while her parents desperately tried to manage her condition.

That's why building youth hubs matter.

Gabby

Transformation requires collaboration. The Stollery Children's Hospital Foundation has committed $5 million dollars to pave the way for the expansion of youth hubs in Alberta.

Integrated youth services launch 1
Integrated youth services launch 2
Integrated youth services launch 3
Integrated youth services launch 4
Hide Stats

76%

experience barriers to youth mental health support.

70%

of mental health problems and illnesses have their onset during childhood or adolescence.

60%

of Canadians won’t seek the help they need.

Goal: Creation of provincial network of Integrated Youth Services, partnership with provincial government, and opening of 3-5 flagship hubs over next 3 years

In 2018-19: SCHF pledged $5 million to help the Mental Health Foundation expand IYS in Alberta

Community Support

Thanks to the passionate support of our donors and sponsors, we dispersed $805,000 to community addiction and mental health programs this year.

Spoke Up for Mental Health

Spoke Up for Mental Health

Crecendo

Crecendo

Payroll Rocks

Payroll Rocks

Grey Cup

Grey Cup

Family Fun Day

Family Fun Day

Donor Appreciation Evening

Donor Appreciation Evening

Spoke Up for Mental Health

MHF Breakfast

MHF Breakfast

MLA Shepherd Visits ACCESS Open Minds

Fringe

Fringe

Hockey Talks

Hockey Talks

John Cameron Changing Lives Foundation Gift

John Cameron Changing Lives Foundation Gift

TELUS Gives $20K

TELUS Gives $20K

Access 24/7 Launch

Access 24/7 Launch

Frank J. Flaman Foundation

Alberta Health Services

Eldon and Anne Foote Fund

Stollery Charitable Foundation

J. Hokanson Family Charitable Foundation

Kevin Morin

Flaman Group of Companies

Chandos

Gift Funds Canada

Community Initiatives Program

Asian Christian Cultural Association of Alberta

TELUS Friendly Future Foundation

Leder Charitable Foundation

Qualico

Synergy

The John & Dianne Storey Family Foundation

Edgar Psychological

PCL Construction Management Inc.

John Cameron Changing Lives Foundation

Keller

Rolling Mix Group of Companies

Alberta Blue Cross

Ernst & Young LLP

Felesky Flynn LLP

Allard Developments

Ledcor

Dr. Adam Abba-Aji

Horizon North

Pangman

Midnight Integrated Financial

Anthem United

1425280 Alberta Ltd.

Select Engineering Consultants Ltd.

Bruce Foster

Nancy Peck

Wendy Andrews

Nancy MacDonald

Lisa Shorten

Douglas Stollery

Aroon Sequeira

Ralph Young

Delcon Capital

Mary Pat Barry

Telus Corporation

Kim Odland

Kerry Day

Cody Lakevold

Robert Rosen

Lisa Blair

Christopher Grey

Vincent Agyapong

Edmonton Community Foundation

Deb Manz

Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation

Charlene Butler

Nicole Wiebe

McCoy Family Charity

Susan Hsu

Daniel Li

Julian Wenger

Gail Fergusson

Ben Horcica

Abbey Lane Inc.

Lloyd Sadd Insurance Brokers

Telus Corporation

Clark Builders

Bird Construction

Maclab Properties Group

Melcor

DLA Piper Canada LLP

EllisDon

Edgar Developments

Saskatchewan Mutual Insurance

Gord Wiebe

Curtis Stensrud Memorial Tournament

United Way of the Alberta Capital Region

Mark Korthuis

Jill Kelland

Kurt Popowich

San Rufo Homes Ltd.

Carolyn Graham

Greg Burghardt

Beth Chester

David Fedyk

Carla Madra

Jason Deboski

Penny Omell

Jon Lund

Ron Mosher

Avininder Aulakh

Andrew Ross

Claire Desrochers

Margo Kaufmann

DeAnn Hunter

Krishna Balachandra

Karthikeyan Ganapathy

Chris Vilcsak

Benefaction Foundation

Nikan Medical Consultation Inc.

Gord Gilroy

Andrei Poukhovski

Rozsa Foundation

Stormy Sopp

Steve Rawlinson

Heather Hicks

Eugenie McCallan

Jennifer Howlett

Brandon Kutschinski

Deborah Gordon

Michael Roellinghoff

Lindsay Kelly

Mary Gibson

Ayaz Bhanji

Lindsay Dodd

Margot Ross Graham

Brendan Storey

David Porter

Chad Helm

Jim Webb

Sally Lore

Harpreet Singh

Merle Taylor

Joel Foster

Ryan Ho

Sidney Waskiewich

Mike Staines

Mohammad Y. Yahyaei Moayyed

Jennifer Brown

Andy Zylstra

Tim Onciul

Michael Wilde

Mark McKinley

Joseph Doucet

Alyson Hodson

Sandra Duxbury

Gitta Kulczycki

William Blais

Mark McRae

Jon Heisler

Tammy Patterson

Sherry Baik

Virendra Gupta

Henry Van Weelden

Mobolaji Lawal

Stephen Hesse

Adegboyega Sapara

Parkland Pickleheads

Allen Ambrosie

John Cameron

Krishna Gupta

Tony Matera

Kathleen Kornak

Karen Poirier

Wesmech Sales (Prairies) Ltd

Jim Bijou

Alberto Choy

Isfandyar Khan

Colin Ouellette

Megan Lyons

Corinne Saad

Leanne Gouweleeuw

Steve Brittain

H. H. Smith Ltd.

Deborah Devine

Carol Hunter

Nancy Fraser

Michael Arndt

Ralph Eckl

United Nurses of Alberta Local 183

April Ockerman

Behrends Group

Braden Fellows

The Wig Boutique

Sharlene Rutherford

Shirley Robertson

Kassia Selinger

Amber Brezovski

Angel Liddicoat

Anne Clayton

Annette Dupuis

Candice De Luca

Carol Diocson

Donna Berg

Enzo Hilario

Eric Bazzarelli

Fausto Franceschi

Hannah Romanko

Jennifer Seinen

Jessica DuBois

John Mackinnon

John Clarke

John Pocklington

Joseph Landayan

Kelsey Jones

Kendra Black

Leonard Traub

Linda Hickle

Lindsay Torok-Both

Lisa Seinen

Lorette Tkatchuk

Maria Da Silva

Mark Haun

Mike Caputo

Shane Isert

Victoria Morisbak

Wendy King

Clear Directional Drilling Solutions Ltd.

The Finishing Touch

Unifor Local 72A

Sean McKennitt

Matthew Gauthier

Dania Spillett

Ubaidullah Abdullah

Saverio Cupelli

Jamie Fleese

Mariah Bernardo

Mariana Olea

elizabeth horcica

Denise Koufogiannakis

Nancy Monaghan

Jim Killoh

Laura ONeill

Jim Evenson

Jennifer Walker

Darcy Yamada

Mingze Xie

Lindsay Daniller

Aoife Horan

Jason Bossert

Travis Cooper

Stacey Donham

Catrin Owen

Marilyn Mucha

Josh Benko

Percy Woods

Andrew Greenshaw

Ken Barry

Mary Jane James

Kayla Carnovale

Jeannette Daniels

Petrea Chamney

Kairi Pawlick

Brad Machon

Ryan Zacharuk

Tim Smythe

Neil Renneberg

Tannis Wisheu

Alice Leung

Stephanie Vogelaar

Patricia Mullen

Jill Robertson

Michael Rivest

Kaylee Laventure

Craig Corbett

James Belovich

Rick Vogel

Simon Foxcroft

Kim Langford

Steve Rees

Bryce Williamson

David St. Cyr

Anne Kendrick

Tannis Foster

Shari Page

Lucien Legault

Mark Donnelly

Silvia Vajushi

Alyssa Haunholter

Holly Hallborg

Craig Stumpf-Allen

Bradyn Arth

Peter Bevilacqua

Krista Frattin

Doug VandenBrink

James Killoh

Vaughn Shears

Amanda Schick

Alena Christie

Jocelyn Kennedy

Chris Larose

Michael Kwen

Chris Wright

Allen Walter

Frank Krupka

Rona Fraser

Brian Geislinger

Nola Gunn

Sue Monson

Nandini Ramachandran

Anand Pye

Ulf-Hilmar Hahn

Jared Seida

Carolyn Osadczuk

Kelly Demkiw

Sean Price

Fouad Salama

Nancy Carlson

Padon Knox

Tim Battle

David Kuna

Carolyn Burke

Spencer Kryzanowski

Steve Vollrath

Caroline Ibrahim

Bernard Eyben

Linda Hofstede

Graham Gaine

Robert Vretenar

Scot Purdon

Adele Dorey

Mark Joffe

Serge St. Onge

Tina Ghafuri

Calvin Eyben

Roxanne Eyben

Holly Anonymous

Atif Ijaz

Rene Rendon

MacEwan University

Villa Marguerite Holdings Ltd. Pat Chaloner

Barry Gateley

Anita Rossall

Beverly K. McLeod

Robert Murphy

Steve Jerebic

Ted Kouri

Danielle L'Heureux

Robin Alton

Pat Biglow

Patricia Stewart

Elaine Greenwood

Larry Evans

Household Helpers Ltd.

Donna Prato

Ronald Hennig

Jan Meiers

RaeAnn Hartman

Sandra Lalonde

Donna Finucane

Fran Andrews

Stan Skotniczny

Joan Stonehocker

Mirjam Stahel

Donald Hunt

Marie Rudkowski

Shawna Epp

Alba Smith

Allen Jacobson

Amilcar Prime

Amy Vandermer

Bonnie Robertson

Bonnie Korthuis

Christina Mackinnon

Connie Silva

Curtis Rondeau

David Elaschuk

Deborah Phillips

Diana Coco

Doug Ducharme

Dwayne Gareau

Gabriel Cahill

Heidi Boutin

Henry Korthuis

James Hickle

Jerry Ryan

Jodi McCormack

Joe Glamuzina

Jordan Gillespie

Josephine Pacholik

Karen Gerencser

Kashmir Bahia

Kathleen Feraco

Kim Mills

Kimberly Vandermeer

Laura Oladokun

Liesbeth Dollery

Mary Bazzarelli

Miranda Morrison

Nelson Branco

Nicole Baker

Nicole Burg

Patrick Kalita

Phillip Kapronczai

Praveen Gupta

Raven Vidal

Rejean Boutin

Richard Williams

Sara Romanko

Sean Myskiw

Shannon Habib

Shawna Fisher

Sheila Steger

Stacey Schiller

Teresia Ritchie

Tim Borbandy

Vincenzo Vena

Willem Spaans

Jessica Brezovski

Julie Wagner

June Clark

Tracy Lafond

Lori Thompson

Lindsey Pearson

Erin Zukwisky

Robert Alonzi

Mike Mach

Dan Bernardo

Nathan Richter

Assia Tarrabin

Fiona Hay

Larry Wood

Connor Rutherford

Sura Noor

Glenn Stowkowy

Pam Sunnus

Allan Stefner

Dayle Pett

Edmond Margulies

Patrick Myslicki

Mary Butterworth School

Cory McDonald

Debra Vollrath

Douwe Spriensma

Kimberly du Plessis

Lloyd Goodine

Siobhan Biagi

Michael Talty

Mary Marshall

Liana Urichuk

Pat de Grace

Peter Pontikes

Rochelle Ure

Shelby Varughese

Alison McGavigan

Leanne Smith

Ashley Robertson

Dale Tam

Krista Ference

Luke Horcica

Susan Green

Tanya Kowacz

Kendra Dolski

Alan Gordon

Beth Turtle

Alyssa Lefaivre

Anna Maria Cuglietta

Caroline Finlan

Elena Sacluti

Jacquelyn Pylypiuk

Les Dowhaluk

Marvin Ludtke

Sandro Berardocco

Katherine Hay

Brandon Sterling

Sirous Ghafuri

Tanya Hoffman

Shane Thompson

Henry Van Schellen

Peter Borges

Margaret Petrin

Brent Elaschuk

Clint Ludtke

Ashley Wade

Lucy Resendes

Todd Branch

Colin Rietveld

Karen Petrone

Nancy Romeo

Nicole Stabile

Reyda Duzic

Sandy Haun

Massage Addict

Ron Kubsch

Jen Godden

Alicja Brown

David Rawani

Kai Choi

Lindsay Buhler

Kyle Powell

Laurie Balfour

Lisa Hamdon

Larry Krushelnitzky

Deborah McGuire

Ben Wagemakers

Barry Robertson

Kieran Bowes

Mark Elgood

Barbara Burrows

Dan Matthys

Kim Simmonds

James Wachowich

Mel Johnson

Rene Tardif

Marinella Barth

Mark Solikowski

Heather MacKenzie

Sheila Pratt

Reanna Rehman

Brittany Bryce

William Clarke

LeAnne Chorney

Kieran Dunleavy

Donni Marano

Jacob Wood

Paul Sipek

Graminia School

Darrell Skarban

Collin Steffes

Linda Dunn

Hide Stats

Mental Health Foundation 2018-19

The Mental Health Foundation raises funds and mobilizes resources to create a barrier-free, easy-to-navigate, and fully integrated addiction and mental health system.

$804,984 disbursed to addiction and mental health programs

4

Full-time Staff

13

Board Members

Mary Pat Barry Board Chair

Mike Saunders Vice-Chair

Josh Benko Treasurer

Peter Bevilacqua
Deb Manz
Charlene Butler

Ben Horcica (Past Chair)
PJ White
Gord Gilroy
Cory Wosnack

Tim Varughese
Cody Lakevold
Jeff Strank

Financial Snapshot 2018-19

$357,386

Programs

$409,732

Facility Enhancements

$20,966

Patient Supports

$16,300

Education and Awareness

Statement of Revenues and Expenditures
Year Ended March 31, 2019

Revenue 2019 2018
Donations and Fundraising $ 1,506,419 $ 941,442
Investment Income 56,528 74,843
Alberta Health Services funding 54,000 48,000
1,616,947 1,064,285
Direct Funding Expenditures 148,600 166,123
1,468,347 898,162
Expenses
Administration 307,046 245,103
Excess of Revenue Over Expenses Before Other
Income (Disbursements)
1,161,301 653,059
Other Income (Disbursements)
Realized gain on marketable securities 37,606 35,682
Unrealized gain (loss) on marketable securities 27,398 (35,266)
Disbursements (804,984) (791,368)
(739,980) (790,952)
Excess (Deficiency) of Revenue Over Expenses $ 421,321 $ (137,893)