Saint John man’s mental health campaign helping to train people in crisis intervention
A Saint John man’s initiative to raise awareness about mental health is also helping train people in crisis intervention.
Gary Brown designed the “I Am All Ears, Reach Out” t-shirt campaign in April, inspired to act after seeing how mental illness affected many around him.
“Hopefully it gets people talking,” he says.
Brown says the point of the red shirt is to send a message that people are available to listen. He says people who’ve purchased the shirt have been told not to wear it if they aren’t able to listen in that moment.
“If you don’t have time, don’t wear it,” he says.
About 400 t-shirts have been purchased to-date, at $15 each.
Brown was able to print the first 100 t-shirts thanks to a donation from IBEW 502.
”I just kept reprinting with the money I made and as I went along I said ‘What am I going to do with the money?”
Brown says he eventually decided to put all the money toward training people in a widely recognized crisis intervention course called ASIST: Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training.
The ASIST program costs $150 per person. So far, the t-shirt campaign has be able to offer the course to 17 people.
“Next week we’re putting another 10 through,” says Brown, adding another training session is being planned for October.
Susan Deery took the ASIST course recently and says its knowledge everybody should have,
“I know now that I would at least be able to help somebody and get to them to safety,” she says.
In the meantime, Brown is also helping to build a special memorial park behind the Crescent Valley Gospel Centre in Saint John.
“This park is going to be dedicated to people struggling with mental health,” he says.
Brown’s goal is for the park to be finished by September 10, World Suicide Prevention Day.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Prince William says wife Kate is 'doing well'
Prince William said on Friday his wife Kate was 'doing well' in a rare public comment about the Princess of Wales as she undergoes preventative chemotherapy for cancer.
BREAKING Canadian Blood Services apologizes to LGBTQ2S+ community for discriminatory blood donation policy
Canadian Blood Services issued an apology on Friday to the LGBTQ2S+ community for what it now admits was a harmful and discriminatory blood donation policy that prevented sexually active men who have sex with men and some trans people from donating blood and plasma.
BREAKING 'Just wait': Toronto mayor hints that WNBA team is coming to the city amid multiple reports
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow says that she is hopeful an announcement could be made soon amid multiple reports that a WNBA team is coming to Toronto in 2026.
Magnitude 4.2 earthquake reported off Vancouver Island's west coast
A 4.2-magnitude earthquake was recorded west of Vancouver Island early Friday morning.
Ontario coroner to investigate death of man who suffered cardiac arrest while waiting in ER
A provincial coroner will be investigating the death of 68-year-old David Lippert, who suffered a cardiac arrest while waiting in a crowded emergency room in Kitchener, Ont.
'Irate male' assaulted Newfoundland officers with block of cheese, police say
Police in Newfoundland say patrol officers were assaulted Thursday by a "very irate male" wielding a block of cheese.
Dashcam video shows terrifying near-miss on two-lane northern Ontario highway
There were some scary moments for several people on a northern Ontario highway caught on video Thursday after a chain reaction following a truck fire.
Average hourly wage in Canada now $34.95: StatCan
Average hourly wages among Canadian employees rose to $34.95 on a year-over-year basis in April, a 4.7 per cent increase, according to a Statistics Canada report released Friday morning.
This iconic Canadian song is turning 50
Andy Kim's 'Rock Me Gently' is marking a major milestone, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.