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Five Canadian IAFF members recognized as champions of mental health

Dec. 15, 2022, Canada – The Canadian Government has recognized five IAFF members for supporting first responders’ mental health.

The members, who were named Champions of Mental Health by the Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment (CIPSRT) on Nov. 23, are:

• Ian Clavelle – Strathcona County, AB Local 2461
• Steve Farina – Coquitlam, BC Local 1782
• Nathalie Menard – Montreal, QC Local 125
• Jeff Reeder – Prince Albert, SK Local 510
• Michael Sears – Halifax, NS Local 268

To be considered a champion, nominees were evaluated on the following criteria:

• Impact on the mental health of their organization and community (i.e. changes or improvements they have been able to make);
• Number of people positively affected by their mental health efforts;
• Willingness to speak about their mental health journey;
• Creation of innovative mental health resource and initiatives;
• Creation of new training resources;
• Commitment to decreasing mental health stigma; and
• Activities as a peer supporter or member of a reintegration team.

This year, there were 168 nominations received. The selection committee, which included previous champions, members of our Public Safety Steering Committee, including the IAFF, and CIPSRT staff reviewed the nominations and selected 20 champions who truly “walk the talk” when it comes to supporting their colleagues’ mental health and wellbeing.