CMHA Vernon reminds people that local support is available

March 20 to 26 is Crisis Line Awareness Week, and the Vernon and District branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA Vernon) is using the week to remind people that this service is available locally, and to ask for more support helping others.

CMHA Vernon said the past two years under the COVID-19 pandemic have highlighted the struggle people face with mental health issues, and during that time, they have also seen more people reach out for help.

The Interior Crisis Line Network (ICLN) has been answering a growing number of requests for support in the last few years, reflecting the need for people to seek help managing mental health concerns and challenges, ranging from feeling overwhelmed to high-risk situations.

The ICLN-Vernon site has felt the impact of the increased calls for support, and so far this year, the site has already answered 3,093 calls.