Acknowledgements

This work builds on the foundational relationships and learning established through the development and implementation of the Edmonton Suicide Prevention Strategy 2016-2021, its accompanying implementation plan Living Hope: A Community Plan to Prevent Suicide in Edmonton 2018-2021, and the 2016 Community Mental Health Action Plan. We are deeply grateful for the contributions of everyone involved in these initiatives, including people with lived experience, staff, partners, and community members. The discussions that arose from these efforts, along with the early support and encouragement from influential community and government leaders, provided the momentum for this strategy development process.

Strategy for Community Mental Health Interim Advisory Committee Members

Sheena Abar-Iyamu
Team Lead, Social Planning and Policy
City of Edmonton

Gemma Dunn
Executive Director
Edmonton Chamber of Voluntary Organizations

Mara Grunau
CEO
Canadian Mental Health Associa-
tion, Alberta and Centre for Suicide
Prevention

Chelsea Hawrelak
Director, Safe and Healthy Communities
City of Edmonton

Lahn Jones
Strategic Projects Manager
Canadian Mental Health Association, Edmonton Region

Annette Malin
Director, Strategic Initiatives
United Way of the Alberta Capital Region

Judith Mason
MSW, RCSW Program Manager,
Addiction and Mental Health
Alberta Health Services

Line Marie Perron
Founder and Executive Director
Imagine Institute for Learning

Sheilah Pittman
Vice President, Community Building & Investment
United Way of the Alberta Capital Region

David Prodan
Director, Strategy & Governance
Canadian Mental Health Association, Edmonton Region

Giri Puligandla
Executive Director
Canadian Mental Health Association, Edmonton Region

Sifat E Sultana
Project Administrator
Canadian Mental Health Association, Edmonton Region

Special thanks to the following for their many contributions: Jenna Pilot, Dave Chowne, Liz Laurence, Tessa Wilvers

Michelle Black

Nadine Chalifoux, Green Butterfly Woman (Askihtâkosiw Mimikwâs Iskwêw)

Punch Jackson

Ajibike Akinrinwale

Emilienne Ngo Batoum

Ashton Connolley

Soni Dasmohapatra

Kaitlyn Hunder

Raffela Mancuso

Lydia Christine Nabunya

Ese Obaseki

Victoria Rojugbokan

Jason Smith

Pamela Spurvey

Allie Wojtaszek

Levi Wolfe

Also thanks to

Sincere thanks to all the consultants and organizations that walked with us on this journey by carrying out community conversations, research, and writing to help shape this and other SCMH documents.

Adapt MC

Andrea Donini Consulting

Blake Loates Photography

Bucketduck Inc.

CARE Research Lab

e4c

Edmonton Chamber of Voluntary Organizations

Elevate Consulting

EndPovertyEdmonton

ET Marchak Consulting

Galican Buki Photography

J5 Design

J & D Strohschein Consulting Inc.

KPMG

MPT Nonprofit Consulting

Nancy Zuck & Associates

Periwinkle Research + Evaluation

Pieter de Vos Consulting

pipikwan pêhtâkwan

Rafella Macuso, Content Creator

WellQuest Consulting

zag creative group

Hundreds of Edmontonians and dozens of local organizations also guided the content of this strategy. Thank you to everyone that has been part of evaluating past initiatives and in helping guide the next phase in our journey together.