Tag Archives: COVID

CKMS News -2025-01-09- New mental health tool accessible for youth in Ontario

CKMS News -2025-01-09- New accessible mental health tool for youth in Ontario

dan kellar
Ontario – 
A recent report highlights that the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated a decline in mental health in Canada. The Canadian Mental Health Association’s State of Mental Health in Canada 2024 report shows 26% of people reported “poor” or “fair” mental health in 2021, up from 8.9% in 2019. 

The report, which was released in November 2024 revealed that “2.5 million people with mental health needs in Canada reported that they weren’t getting adequate care”.

One initiative to help address mental health care is “One Stop Talk”, which “provides immediate access to mental health services, when they’re needed, wherever they’re needed.” The service, which launched in the fall of 2024, and is funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health, is free to access and is available for youth up to 18 years of age. 

In Waterloo Region, Camino Wellbeing and Mental-health are One Stop Talk partners, but were unavailable for an interview. 

This show features an interview with Robert Royer, the Vice President of strategy for Strides Toronto, a mental health and development support organization and a leading partner of the One Stop Talk initiative.

Chief medical officer announces COVID-19 vaccine availability timeline

MP Holmes
Kitchener, ON

Up-to-date COVID and flu vaccines will be available for all residents on Monday, October 30. The announcement was made at last  week’s Waterloo Regional Council meeting by Dr. Hsui-Li Wang, the chief medical officer for Waterloo Region.

Up until now, vaccines had been reserved for vulnerable individuals, but starting Monday, the new vaccine will be made available to the wider public at local public health clinics and participating pharmacies and health care providers.

There are no walk in appointments at this time, and clinic appointments must be made through the provincial booking system.

Also on October 30, the Board of Health will begin sending notifications to parents as reminders to update children’s immunization records and vaccines.

The update also stated that while COVID 19 has been increasing slightly in the Region, wastewater data remains at elevated levels with signals dominated by most recent variant (XBB).

Listen to the show above: