"As the new school year gets underway, many students will have more than just a big backpack on their shoulders!  Thanks to the Young Mental Health Vigils, they'll have more direct access to resources that can support them in their role as caregivers," said Dr. Vincent Oliva, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Fédération des médications spécialistes du Québec (FMSQ) and its Foundation.

During this busy period, young caregivers in the Vaudreuil-Soulanges and Beauharnois-Salaberry regions can turn to the Pont du Suroît organisation. The general manager explains that the program Aider sans filtre, pour les jeunes, avec les jeunes is aimed at young people aged 14 to 29.

The distinctive feature of Le Pont du Suroît is that it is entirely dedicated to those around people with mental health problems. 

"What I'm hearing right now is that there's a lot of anxiety about young people going back to school, at various levels. Some parents have paid for CEGEP or university admissions, and they're not sure their kids are going to go," he explains. 

"Many of them need to be seen, if only briefly. Treatment is not instantaneous: in CLSCs, we're talking about a few weeks wait, and for office consultations, there's a three- to four-month wait," continues the director.

However, the Pont du Suroît is certainly a phone call away, and an outreach worker, Amélie Payment, is dedicated to helping young people who are experiencing back-to-school stress, whether because of a loved one experiencing a mental health problem, or for themselves.

If the Pont du Suroît is unable to help for any reason, young people will certainly be referred to organizations that can help them. An outreach officer is also available as part of the Aider sans filtre project at L'accolade santé mentale (contact details below).

In Quebec, it is estimated that one young person in five supports a parent with a mental health problem. Yet young people are slow to seek help because of a lack of awareness of available resources and the stigma attached to mental health.

Yet they are 15 to 20 times more at risk of developing a mental health problem themselves than their non caregiver peers.

To help them, the Fondation de la Fédération des médecins spécialistes du Québec has joined forces with the Réseau Avant de Craquer and its "Aider sans filtre, pour les jeunes, avec les jeunes" project.

Thanks to the 51 partner associations of the Réseau Avant de Craquer, this project provides mentoring for young mental health watchers in areas frequented by young people.

Partner associations dedicated to the Vaudreuil-Soulanges and Beauharnois-Salaberry MRCs are Le Pont du Suroît at 450-377-3126, and at www.lepont.com; and L'Accolade Santé Mentale at 450 699-7059 / 1 866 699-7059 and at www.accoladesantementale.org. 

For more information, visit https://www.avantdecraquer.com/aider-sans-filtre/.

Services are available in English and French.