CMHA Vancouver-Burnaby, Simon Fraser and Delta branches will form the new CMHA Vancouver-Fraser Branch
Vancouver, BC – On April 1st, 2015, the Canadian Mental Health Association Delta Branch, Simon Fraser Branch and Vancouver-Burnaby Branch will formally amalgamate and begin operating as the Canadian Mental Health Association, Vancouver-Fraser Branch (CMHA-VF).
The region of the amalgamated Branch will include the Cities of Burnaby, Coquitlam, Delta, Langley, Maple Ridge, New Westminster, Pitt Meadows, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Surrey, Vancouver and White Rock, as well as the Township of Langley, the Village of Anmore and the Village of Belcarra.
“We will strive to honour the unique presence of CMHA in the communities currently served by the founding branches,” says Michael Anhorn, Executive Director of CMHA-VF. “We hope the amalgamation will better position CMHA-VF to deliver our high quality services across the region of the amalgamated branch and that the merging of these branches will heighten CMHA’s presence and influence in the community, strengthening its position as a trusted resource and voice in mental health.”
CMHA-VF will leverage the expertise of the three founding branches to deliver a wide range of services including housing & homeless outreach, community based recovery programming, psychosocial education for youth and adults and stigma reducing workshops.
“It is important for CMHA stakeholders and participants to know they will continue to have access to all of the existing programs and supportive services,” says Anhorn. “Our goal is to make certain the integration to one branch is as efficient and seamless as possible and that we continue to work towards our vision of ‘mentally health people in a healthy society’.”
To view programs and services of the new branch, visit www.vancouver-fraser.staging.cmha-bc.flywheelsites.com.
About the Canadian Mental Health Association
Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) is part of one of Canada’s most established national mental health charities. Our vision is mentally healthy people in a healthy society. As the nation-wide leader and champion for mental health, CMHA helps people access the community resources they need to build resilience and support recovery from mental illness or addiction. We do this by building capacity, influencing policy, providing services and developing resources. Each year, CMHA BC together with a network of 17 BC branches provides services and supports to over 136,000 British Columbians. Together we promote mental health for all and support the resilience and recovery of people experiencing mental illness or addiction. To learn more visitwww.staging.cmha-bc.flywheelsites.com.
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To schedule interviews, contact:
Leanne MacLeod
Community Outreach and Education Team Leader
Canadian Mental Health Association, Vancouver-Fraser Branch
604-872-4902 ext. 233 or leanne.macleod.vb@cmha.bc.ca