Tuesday, Jan. 15, Health, Seniors and Active Living Minister Cameron Friesen announced $500,000 will be designated to mental health services because "we owe it to our children, our grandchildren, our neighbours, and friends to help them."

Strongest Families Institute (SFI), the funding recipient, provides mental health services and resources for children, youth, and their families who deal with things like behavioural issues, anxiety, and bed-wetting.

"With this funding, Strongest Families services will now be provincially available to Manitoba families with children between the ages of three to 17 years of age, who struggle with mental health issues and other issues affecting well-being," says SFI President and CEO, Dr. Patricia Lingley-Pottie.

SFI works through the telephone during all hours of the day and comes at no cost to Manitoba citizens. This can be beneficial for parents who may have a difficult time coordinating around their work schedules, or may not have the extra income for pay for the mental health resources their family needs.

Resources are also available for family members that babysit or care for the children periodically, which helps to keep mental health support methods consistent from one environment to another.

"Working together to provide timely, evidence-based services to children [and] youth is a sound investment in their future," adds Dr. Pottie.

Friesen says, "we know that very sadly that only one-in-five children in this country who require mental health services actually receive them . . . Mental health needs of children and youth is an issue that the country needs to face, that provinces need to face, that policy-makers need to face, and that third-parties across the country are facing."

He says that $100,000 will be given to SFI each year for five years, and it is expected that over 1,000 families will be able to benefit from the SFI programming.

"This announcement today will help our most precious resource, which is our children, to get the help when they need it and how they need it," Friesen adds.

Bell Let's Talk also contributed $500,000 which brings the total to $1 million.