Local and First Nation government staff and responders engage in important work at the local level that can sometimes take a toll on mental health. Whether it is navigating emergency operations, supporting citizens during stressful times, or managing capacity challenges at work, local and First Nations government leaders deal with a lot in their day-to-day work. Thus, we have gathered relevant mental health resources to support you while you are working hard to serve your communities. We hope you find these resources useful: 

Free, confidential support and crisis lines available 24/7:

• BC Mental Health Support Line 310-6789 (no area code required)
• KUU-US Indigenous line 1-800-588-8717
• 1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433)
• Suicide Crisis Help Line | Call or text 9-8-8
• The Hope for Wellness Helpline: 1-855-242-3310
• Or text:
• Adults: Type/text WELLNESS to the number 741741
• Youth: Type/text WELLNESS to the number 686868
• Frontline workers: Type/text FRONTLINE to the number 741741

Direct help for support:

• Canadian Mental Health Association Crisis Line
• Find virtual mental health supports available in BC
• BounceBack – a free skill-building program for overcoming low mood, anxiety, stress, or worry
• Find your local Canadian Mental Health Association
  

Health and mental health resources and information:

• BCMSA Connection to Care 
• Coping with Natural Disaster Stress
• Coping through a natural disaster emergency – mental health tips for you and your family
• Recognizing and addressing trauma and anxiety during wildfire season (First Nations Health Authority)
• Recognizing and resolving trauma in children during disasters (First Nations Health Authority)
• Disaster emotional response timeline – what to expect before, during and after a disaster
• Your health during a wildfire (Government of BC)
• Wildfire smoke and health (BC Centre for Disease Control)
• Guidebook for Well-being in Recovery (Red Cross)
• Firefighters Mental Health & Wellness Toolkit

If you have additional resources that you think would be helpful to your peers in local or First Nations government, do not hesitate to share with us at office@lgma.ca.