Ottawa Senators winger Erik Condra drops by Sandy Hill Arena to support the Big Purple Skate.
A new NHL movement launched in partnership with the seven Canadian hockey teams this month hopes to broaden awareness of mental health issues while removing the stigma associated with getting help.
For the Hockey Talks initiative, each Canadian NHL team hosts a game night where the team fundraises for a charity in its community. Beyond this financial help, teams dedicate time during the game to educate fans about mental health issues and encourage families to talk about them.
This countrywide program was in development for close to two years, says Sens Foundation president Danielle Robinson.
The foundation has hosted games dedicated to Daron Richardson, the daughter of Ottawa Senators ex-assistant coach Luke Richardson, who took her own life in November 2010. These games were all held in February, Daron’s birth month.
“I gathered all of the Canadian teams together for a bit of a conversation, asking them if they would like to do a night like this,” Robinson says. “Through a series of other tragic events on some of the other teams, everything just came together for (Hockey Talks).”
For the game at Scotiabank Place Feb. 23, the Senators will continue supporting the Do It For Daron Fund, an organization in Richardson’s name that focuses on youth mental health awareness and research.
During this game, as well as other Hockey Talks evenings across Canada, information about mental health plays on arena screens, followed by a list of resources to help fans that are in need. Players are also donning decals with the words “Hockey Talks” on their helmets throughout February to generate awareness around the league.
Fans and players are also prompted to share their experiences on team websites and Twitter, spreading their messages with the hashtag #hockeytalks.
“As an NHL club, we have a really strong brand and our players are role models,” Robinson says. “Children and youth see that they’re talking about these things. Hopefully it will inspire conversations and people getting more help thinking it’s OK to talk about.”
The death of Rick Rypien, a Vancouver Canucks forward who committed suicide in August 2011, also sparked league discussion about mental health. Rypien suffered from clinical depression during his career. At the Hockey Talks game in Vancouver on Feb. 1, Rypien’s brother, Wes, dropped the puck in a commemorative pre-game ceremony.
Hockey Talks comes at a key time for Canadians, as mental health concerns are growing across the country. The National Mental Health Strategy, launched in May 2012 by the Mental Health Commission of Canada, calls for more prevention programs in everyday settings to reduce the stigma associated with finding help.
“There’s been a need for mental health awareness and training. . . for the spectrum of mental health services,” says Renée Ouimet, a spokesperson for the Canadian Mental Health Association’s Ottawa branch. “There have been some high-profile situations that have brought (mental health issues) to light.”
Money raised from the Feb. 23 showdown in Ottawa against the Toronto Maple Leafs will go to an educational program created by the Royal Ottawa Hospital, called “Is It Just Me?” The program plans to bring 4,000 high-school students in the Ottawa area to the Royal to educate them about mental health this year, says Andrée Steel, president of the Royal Ottawa.
Earlier this year, the Sens Foundation pledged $100,000 to the Royal Ottawa to sponsor its Early Identification and Intervention program. Money is also going toward a Royal Ottawa research program in regional high schools to test a mental health curriculum for school boards.
Suicide is the second largest cause of death for Canadians ages 15 to 24. The Canadian Mental Health Association states that between 10 and 20 per cent of Canadian youth have a mental illness or disorder. From that group, only one in five seek help.
Robinson says that with a successful national launch this February, the initiative may migrate to the United States in future years, where mental health is currently a hot-button issue.