CMHA Colchester East Hants Branch

Catch up on whats going on at CMHA these days!

859 Prince Street
Truro, Nova Scotia
(902) 895 – 4211

The Canadian Mental Health Association ( CMHA )  is a non-profit organization that offers a variety of outreach programs for both adults & youth. Their primary focus is to offer support & assistance to individuals in our community who are facing various challenges. The organization also provides supportive services that allow individuals to connect with support workers on a one-on-one basis. These workers can provide assistance in various ways. Depending on the individual’s needs, overall CMHA aims to help individuals overcome mental health obstacles as well as spread awareness. 

Last week we had the pleasure of sitting down with 2 of CMHA’s support workers, Audrey Balsor & Taylor Morrow. Both work hands-on in our community daily providing support & guidance to adults ( Audrey ) & youth ( Taylor ) in various ways, such as navigating individuals through programming & events held at CMHA. 

Both Audrey & Taylor take great pride in the growth of their members, as they learn new skills, expand their knowledge and reach their goals. 2 words the pair would use to describe how they want their members to feel are “Safe” & “Supported”. By breaking down barriers & promoting inclusivity, they hope to establish an environment where all members feel secure and comfortable.

CMHA has been very successful in providing various opportunities to its members due to partnerships within the community, such as the RECC, The Truro Tennis Club & Maggies Place just to name a few! Throughout the year CMHA has various events they hold for their members. Later this month they will be partnering up with several members of our community to put together a Family Mental Health Awareness Fun Day on May 28th. 

CMHA has collaborated with Laureen Rushton to organize this event, Laureen’s son Lucas passed away on May 31, 2021. Her hopes for this event are to spread awareness about the available support in our community.

Throughout the past year, readers may have noticed painted rocks with #lukeslegacy around our community. Laureen has been actively painting these rocks to advocate for mental health support & raise awareness. During the upcoming event on May 28th, attendees will have the chance to participate by painting their own rocks and hiding them in various locations throughout the community.

Laureen stated” The support from the community & CMHA has been overwhelming”. She expressed gratitude for the numerous donations, volunteers & offers of assistance which have enabled them to begin planning for next year's event.  One of Laureens biggest goals for this event is to encourage families to participate in the community & learn about mental health support without having to worry about the cost as this is a free event.

Seeing such positive community engagement spread throughout Downtown Truro & beyond from this fantastic organization is amazing! We encourage anyone seeking support within our community to reach out to CMHA. Their many diverse services could help you or a loved one.  For support or to learn more about CMHA visit their website.

And don't forget to attend the Family Mental Health Awareness Fun Day on May 28th in Downtown Truro.