Funded for 2015-16

Read more about the Impact of Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia grants

ACCESS LEISURE LEARNING (ALL)

Recovery and Integration: Transition Hall, Simpson Landing

The Accessing Leisure Learning (ALL) program provides Simpson Landing and Transition Hall clients with the opportunity to engage in individual leisure pursuits of their choice with the support of an interdisciplinary team. Through a leisure education approach, the program will allow clients to participate in community programs or individual leisure that they may not access to otherwise, due to a variety of barriers. Access Leisure Learning will provide education for negotiating the constraints experienced by our clients, and will allow clients to increase their independence, improve their intrinsic motivation, and increase their access to the community. The program will also provide registration fees and supplies needed for individuals to achieve their leisure goals.

ACCESS-A-FIT

Transition Hall, Simpson Landing, Mayflower Unit

The Access-a-Fit project focuses on the recovery of participants from Mayflower Unit, Transition Hall and Simpson Landing by providing an opportunity to get physically active and improve healthy coping strategies. This treatment project creates a supportive environment for participants to learn new skills and improve on old ones. It enables participants to practice a balanced lifestyle, thereby increasing their quality of life. Through an active gym group, participants will gain self-confidence and independence as well as learning teamwork skills and increasing physical activity.

ART GROUP: INPATIENT & OUTPATIENT CARE

Acute Care, 6 & 7 Abbie J. Lane

Art Group encourages independence, choice, self-direction and community integration for inpatients and outpatients.

CHANGE OF SCENERY

Acute Care, 6 & 7 Abbie J. Lane

The Change of Scenery program gives patients the opportunity to access nature as part of therapy throughout their recovery process. These outdoor experiences are designed to support the recovery and rehabilitation of individuals experiencing mental health issues through the use of an environment outside of the traditional hospital setting. Through outdoor programming, Change of Scenery aims to reduce the rates of recidivism and re-hospitalization. Outdoor therapeutic activities include the Wilderness Wellness program, camping experiences, the Horse Discovery Program, skill development hikes, scenic trips to the beach, sea kayaking, fishing, and more.

COFFEE HOUR AND SOCIAL SKILLS GROUP

Emerald Hall

Coffee Hour is an initiative aimed at providing clients of the Nova Scotia Hospital, as well as consumers residing in the community, with a safe, home-like environment where they can enjoy complementary coffee/tea and snacks while socializing with peers. For selected clients of Emerald Hall, it also serves as a work-readiness program.

Social Skills Group is an inpatient-based initiative designed to teach and enhance social skills for clients who reside at Emerald Hall. Many of the group participants are unable to engage in off-unit activities secondary to their dual diagnosis.

COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS

Recovery and Integration, Simpson Landing & Transition Hall

The Community Connections program will help clients within the Recovery and Integration program gain a sense of belonging in their community. Clients will engage in shared experiences in the community, learn social skills, and gain a sense of confidence and belonging prior to being discharged from the R&I program.

COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS

West Hants Community Mental Health

This project is aimed at supporting clients in accessing and finding success in their community. Through addressing five main areas including transportation, employment, socialization, education and recreation, individuals will be better able to thrive. 

COMPASS 2015

Recovery & Integration, Connections Halifax

Compass 2015 is a collaborative process. Individuals living with mental illness, together with staff,work to plan and implement four recovery-oriented excursions, outside of the HRM. Driven by personal goal-planning exercises, each excursion will have a unique recovery focus based on physical activity, creative expression, community volunteerism, and learning and exploring new skills. Each excursion will be followed up with a participatory action evaluation process, where participants document their personal goals,related to their own mental health recovery plan. Excursion focuses include Animal Rescue, Nature Appreciation and Exploration, Historical Education, and Farming and Agriculture.

CREATIVE EXPRESSIONS

Recovery and Integration Program; Community Transition Program

The Creative Expressions program will allow clients to have access to creative arts activities to support their overall mental wellness, as well as enable the clients to gain hope and confidence. The design of the program will allow all residents and community clients to participate with creative art tasks designed to fit their individual interests and needs. The Creative Expressions program will also expose clients to motivational group activities and relationship building self-discovery opportunities.

CREATIVE EXPRESSIONS PROJECT

Acute Care; Mayflower Unit

The Creative Expressions Project provides the opportunity to explore individual creativity in a supportive group therapy approach to treatment. This project allows individuals to express feelings and experiences in a variety of innovative ways, while interacting with their peers. 

DRAMA THERAPY & DIALECTICAL BEHAVIOUR THERAPY (DBT) INTEGRATION PROJECT

Borderline Personality Disorder Treatment Program

Ms. Laura Burke, MA, has become a very important part of the Borderline Personality Disorder Treatment Program (BPBTP), through her work with providing clients with the opportunity to practice DBT skills through the medium of drama therapy. This grant will allow Ms. Burke to have the chance to be trained alongside the rest of the BPBTP team at an intensive DPB training session. This will allow Ms.Burke, along with the rest of the team, to bring and integrate their newly learned skills into the programming and projects for clients, including the DBT drama therapy program.
 

EMERALD HALL SPECIAL EVENTS

Emerald Hall

This grant provides funding for Emerald Hall’s “Special Events” such as the Family Christmas Party, Family Barbeque, Family Support and Spring Tea, Valentine’s Day Party, Halloween Party and Easter Party. These events assist in normalizing the lives of the patients of Emerald Hall by providing opportunities for many of the patients to gain or practice social skills, make crafts, decorate the unit, visit with family and enjoy food and beverages together as they would at home in the community.
 

FAMILY MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCE DISTRIBUTION

SunLife Financial Chair in Adolescent Mental Health

The Family Mental Health Resource Distribution program provides evidence-based information and key resources for clinicians to provide to families. The resources are specifically designed for youth and adolescents living with or affected by mental illness, and for the parent-teenager dynamic. The program aims to better inform Nova Scotian families about mental health and mental illness, reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness, and encourage help-seeking behaviours.
 

FRIENDS AMONG FRIENDS

Cole Harbour Community Mental Health

Friends Among Friends is a community-based group for consumers who have severe and persistent mental illness. It provides weekly structure and support with an emphasis placed on client empowerment, choice and sense of belonging.

FRIENDS GATHERING

Recovery & Integration, Connections Sackville

Friends Gathering is a community-based group for consumers who have severe and persistent mental illness. This weekly  event provides structure and support with an emphasis on client empowerment, choice and sense of belonging. Participants engage in activities such as guest speakers, crafts, celebrating special occasions, fundraising, and games. The group also moves into the wider community during meeting times to enable members to practice social activities.

GET UP AND GO!

Acute Care, Mayflower Unit

The Get Up and Go! project focuses on the recovery of participants from the Mayflower Unit by supporting them in their first steps to returning to their communities. Clients engage in shared experiences with others, learn skills, and are motivated to reestablish connections to leisure. Leisure education allows clients to gain self-confidence and independence, providing opportunities to explore personal leisure attitudes, awareness, values and perceived barriers in order to better understand the decision making processes and one’s lifestyle choices.
 

GIRLS GROUP

Emerald Hall

Girls Group provides female clients of Emerald Hall with a private forum to discuss women's health issues, to enhance hygiene and grooming skills, and to increase independence and self-esteem. Girls Group provides an environment where clients are encouraged to make choices and express their individuality by providing an opportunity to use different make-up and hygiene products, etc. 
 

JOURNEY TO RECOVERY

Simpson Landing

The Journey to Recovery program assists clients to engage in independent living skills and recreational activities during a period of their illness when they may find it difficult to perform these skills independently. Journey to Recovery takes place outside of the hospital setting to encourage clients to take greater control over their daily decisions, which is an important transitional skill for community living. This experience is designed to promote greater self confidence and also fosters independence.
 

KITCHEN CORNER

Recovery and Integration Program; Community Transition

Kitchen Corner is a social and skills building cooking and baking program offered to residents and their families to promote health and well being while providing them with positive social interaction.  This fun and creative skills program provides instruction in basic cooking/baking skills to those coping with a severe and persistent mental illness or a complex medical need. 

LEARNING TO LIVE

Acute Care, Eating Disorders

This program works to help eating disorder patients re-learn how to relate to their bodies in healthy and positive ways. The program includes a variety of activities including arts and crafts, community outings, and yoga. 
 

LEISURE EDUCATION & COMMUNITY SAMPLING

Specialty Mental Health

The Leisure Education & Community Sampling Program offers people living with mental illness the opportunity to take part in community, social, personal leisure, and recreation pursuits. Within the safety of the group program, individuals are able to improve skills and increase their confidence to transfer these skills to their own communities. The program seeks to educate patients about the important role leisure and recreation play in mental wellness.

LIVING LEISURE, LOVING LIFE

Acute Care, 6 &7 Abbie J. Lane

Living Leisure, Loving Life is a community integration program that focuses on providing regular access to leisure activities in the community. Many of these activities will be sustainable upon participants' discharge and will help contribute to their health and well being. Skill development areas include: using public transportation, knowledge of and participation in community clubhouses, and recreational and athletic activities. 
 

MAKING CONNECTIONS THROUGH RECOVERY

Recovery and Integration; Simpson Landing & Transition Hall

Making Connections through Recovery focuses on providing social interactions as part of clients recovery process. Taking a social approach to recovery will enable clients to enjoy their inpatient stay and also build skill sthat can be transferable in the community. This project involves Simpson Landing and Transition Hall clients participating in social interaction groups such as walking and talking, festive parties, bingo or art, while in a supportive environment with the goal for them to eventually attend the same type of group once they are discharged into the community.
 

MEDITATIVE SPACES

Acute Care, Mayflower Unit; in partnership with Transition Hall and Simpson Landing

The Meditative Spaces project provides the opportunity to explore new coping methods through physical activity. Research has demonstrated these activities (such as kayaking, meditation and horseback riding) help promote sense of value and compassion. 

MENTAL HEALTH & ADDICTIONS CONNECTIONS TO CHRONIC CONDITIONS

Mental Health & Addictions Program

The Mental Health & Addictions Connections to Chronic Conditions program provides opportunities for Nova Scotians’ of African Descent to learn about the intersections of mental health & addictions, disabilities, and chronic illness. The allows individuals to share their own experiences in a safe, comfortable and engaging environment. The program also seeks to raise awareness and create discussions regarding the connection between mental health & addictions and chronic health issues throughout communities.
 

NEW DIRECTIONS YOUTH GROUP

Connections Dartmouth

New Directions is a youth group for young adults ages 19-35 who are living with mental illness. The group aims to build relationships that facilitate social inclusion, social awareness and peer support with the underlying emphasis on recovery and community integration.
 

NOW YOU’RE COOKING

Acute Care, Mayflower Unit

The Now You’re Cooking project provides the opportunity to explore cooking and baking in a supportive group therapy approach to treatment. Clients have the opportunity to prepare healthy snacks while interacting with their peers. Additionally, clients acquire knowledge, skills, and the confidence to prepare healthy snacks.
 

RECREATION FOR WELLNESS

Community Transition Program

Outcomes from being involved in leisure activities can have a significant impact on those living with mental illness; such as pleasure, tranquility, and the ability to express emotion and the opportunity to bond with others. The Recreation for Wellness Program introduces clients to activities that allow them to experience enjoyment, success, and increased activity levels. The program aims to build on client’s strengths, increase their quality of life, and support them through their transition into the community.
 

RECREATION ON EMERALD AND ICT

Specialty Mental Health, Emerald Hall

The goal of Recreation on Emerald is to engage clients in physical and leisure activities as a means to improve their physical fitness and mental well being. Recreation and leisure opportunities also allow clients to learn and practice effective coping skills, learn how to transfer new life-skills to a community setting, increase community access, empower clients to make decisions and improve overall quality of life

SMOOTH STAY & TRANSITIONS

Acute Care Psychiatry, Mayflower and Recovery Integration

This grant provides clients with the opportunity to have a variety of needs met when they are in the hospital and when they are being discharged. These items purchased can help with a smoother, and in some cases quicker discharge, as they allow clients to be able to settle into their home in community. With receiving these essential items, clients can continue to receive the benefits of increased functioning, learning, and feeling a sense of comfort and care. Needs fulfilled by this grant include items that promote better sleep and healthy eating, food preparation tools, and organizational tools.
 

STARTING FRESH

Simpson Landing, Occupational Therapy

Venturing out on your own for the first time or perhaps restarting on fresh ground can be a very exciting yet overwhelming experience. The Starting Fresh grant will provide financial support to clients who are both in hospital, and going into an independent living, work or educational setting. Though this funding, individuals will be able to receive support to purchase basic items that are necessary when venturing out on your own. These items can include appropriate clothing for work, dishes, backpack, dishcloths, etc. Having access to these items can minimize the clients stress and anxiety associated with starting fresh.

STORAGE SHED FOR PATIO GARDEN

Specialty Mental Health, Day Treatment Program

The ‘Ready, Set , Grow Program”, originally funded in 2006, gives Mental Health Day Treatment participants the chance to engage in both indoor and outdoor gardening. Participants take part in the preparation and upkeep of the gardens throughout the spring and summer months, and partake in the preparation and maintenance of indoor plants throughout the winter. This grant will allow the Ready, Set, Grow Program to purchase a storage shed for their patio. This will allow the gardening tools to be protected from the weather, and allow program participants to have easy access to the materials, making the program more user friendly.

WELLNESS GARDEN

Acute Care, 7 Abbie J. Lane

This program allows clients to socialize in a non-clinical setting, grow new interests, build confidence in meal preparation, and promote discharge readiness. The Wellness Garden also provides clinicians an opportunity to learn more about the patient's psychomotor and psychosocial living in a more normalized setting.