Mental Health

Race is a key determinant of an individual’s psychological well-being. Accordingly, FBEC is calling for the Government’s recognition of the impact of systemic and individual acts of racism on stress and anxiety for persons of colour, through:

• Provision of education and training for management to foster awareness and better equip to address all forms of racism including microaggressions in the workplace.

• Collection and reporting of disaggregated data (e.g. number of self-identified persons or African descent using Employee Assistance Program, Sick Leave etc.) to better understand uptake of mental health services and identify opportunities to enhance reach.

These objectives are in line with recommendations that were recently issued by the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage in its recent report on systemic racism (entitled, Taking Action Against Systemic Racism and Religious Discrimination Including Islamophobia), which noted need for improved awareness and training on racism within the federal public service.

Mental health supports:

• Black Mental Health Canada Inc.
• Black Youth Helpline
• Employee Assistance Program