Canada launches long-awaited suicide crisis hotline
Starting Thursday, you can call or text 9-8-8 and connect with Canada's new suicide crisis helpline and speak or text with a registered mental health support worker.
The announcement has been welcomed news for the most part, but some mental health advocates and experts argue more proactive supports are needed.
Halifax firefighter Michael Sears knows the pain suicide can have on family and friends.
"Unfortunately we've lost three members to suicide in the past five years," said Sears.
The 20-year veteran of the Halifax Fire Department lost his close friend and fellow firefighter Kyle Currie to suicide in 2018; he was just 34 at the time.
It prompted Sears to create "Fight4Life,” a charity that helps active and retired Halifax firefighters access mental health assistance.
"Our team has been able to raise about $200,000 and we've put about $160,000 back into programming and supports for our members," said Sears, who added the funds are used for proactive mental health education and reactive support "which isn't otherwise covered."
The 988 suicide crisis hotline is a project that has been years in the making and will connect Canadians in distress with a trained crisis responder when they need it.
"Twelve people die by suicide each and every day in this country, and that is 12 too many, and it is 12 too many families with broken hearts and 12 too many communities who grieve every day," said Ya'ara Saks, the federal minister of mental health and addictions.
From coast-to-coast, Canadians can call or text 988 when in crisis, or when they know someone is in a crisis, 24 hours a day and seven days a week, free of charge.
Sears welcomes the announcement but says there's still a critical gap that needs to be addressed before the mental crisis reveals itself.
"Providing another resource is a great idea; personally, I'd like to see an investment in the front end so that my members and members in the emergency services community don't get to that point where they need to use that number," said Sears.
Dalhousie professor and clinical psychologist Dr. Simon Sherry says the hotline may help but hasn't seen evidence showing the phone service prevents suicide.
"Perhaps these types of lines can help calm people down, but what we lack is any evidence suggesting that this type of intervention will actually reduce rates of death by suicide," said Sherry, who says resources should be directed to suicide prevention methods that are proven.
"You take away guns from people who are suicidal, you put up barriers on bridges that people are known to jump off, and you dispense drugs more safely, making overdose more difficult," said Sherry.
While the announcement has been welcomed by many and is well-intentioned said Sherry, "scarce resources" he emphasized, should be directed to means of suicide prevention that have been shown to work.
"For some time, Canada has needed an evidence-based, coordinated suicide prevention strategy, but I don't think we can consider this crisis line a meaningful part of that," said Sherry.
Dr. Allison Crawford, the chief medical officer for 988 and leading psychiatrist at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health says crisis lines work.
"As a clinician, I’ve seen firsthand how even one conversation can begin a dialogue that allows someone to re-engage with their strengths and to hope," said Crawford. "That sense of connection and belonging can be transformative."
THE FREE 24-7 SERVICE IS AVAILABLE FOR ALL CANADIANS.
TRAINED RESPONDERS CAN BE REACHED BY CALLING OR TEXTING 9-8-8.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Poilievre to submit letter to Governor General asking to recall House for confidence vote
Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre announced that he will submit a letter to the Governor General asking to recall the House for a confidence vote.
WATCH LIVE 'I understand there's going to be a short runway,' new minister says after Trudeau shuffles cabinet
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau added eight Liberal MPs to his front bench and reassigned four ministers in a cabinet shuffle in Ottawa on Friday, but as soon as they were sworn-in, they faced questions about the political future of their government, and their leader.
Quebecer convicted of killing partner, two children sentenced
A Quebecer convicted in a triple murder on Montreal's South Shore has been sentenced to life in prison without chance of parole for 20 years in the second-degree death of Synthia Bussieres.
Poilievre to Trump: 'Canada will never be the 51st state'
Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre is responding to U.S. president-elect Donald Trump’s ongoing suggestions that Canada become the 51st state, saying it will 'never happen.'
A car has driven into a group of people at a Christmas market in Germany
A car drove into a group of people at a Christmas market in the eastern German city of Magdeburg on Friday, German news agency dpa reported.
Guelph man facing assault charge after police say he spat in roommate's face during disagreement over cat
A fight between roommates has led to an assault charge for a Guelph man.
Joss Stone says she's discovered she's pregnant – just weeks after adopting a baby
Joss Stone has revealed that she is pregnant, just weeks after she and her husband adopted a baby boy.
A new book about Chrystia Freeland just came out. Here's what we learned
A new book about Chrystia Freeland has just come out, after the publishing company sped up its release date by a few months. CTV News sifted through the book and pulled out some notable anecdotes, as well as insights about Freeland's relationship with the prime minister.
Police say break-and-enter suspects were in Canada for 'purpose of committing criminal offences'
Five Chilean nationals who police believe were in Canada for 'the purpose of committing criminal offences' have been charged in connection with half a dozen break-and-enters across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).