Hinton's Rural Mental Health Projects
Our Projects and Legacy
Here are some of our past projects. Many of them involve legacy resources that will continue to be updated, used and distributed well into the future.
Our 2023 Project: Suicide Prevention
2023's project enhanced suicide prevention Education
The Rural Mental Health Network provided free access to SafeTALK Suicide Prevention workshops so that more people in our community could be equipped with the tools to help prevent suicide and become better helpers. Our action team and community members also had access to Mental Health First Aid training.
WSPD Keynote Speaker event
Local mental health workers joined our special guest, Kris Marks, to speak to an audience at the Performing Arts Theatre of Hinton. The audience heard Kris' amazing personal story about surviving suicide, houselessness, and living with PTSD, and learned from local mental health workers about resources in Hinton to help keep us healthy and get help when needed.
Hinton offers wellness
Back in 2023, our team began assembling locally-accessible mental health resources all in one place on the Town of Hinton website, and promoted this with a sticker campaign. The sticker uses the colours from the mental health continuum model and has a QR code leading scanners to the resource page. We continue to update this resource and distribute the stickers throughout the community.
Chalk the walk
Unfortunately, our May Chalk the Walk event was cancelled due to wildfire conditions, air quality and the evacuation of Edson to our community. But our team distributed hundreds of Chalk the Walk kits to schools in Hinton, to encourage folks to get creative about mental health conversations! The goal was to draw and write inspiring and encouraging messages on sidewalks in our neighbourhoods to brighten people's day and reduce the stigma around mental health and suicide. We are going to bring these resources forward to 2025's Hinton Valley Fun Day on Saturday June 7, 2025, in the Valley Shopping District, to share our messages of encouragement and promote the Rural Mental Health Network.
Wellness Way and the Mental Health Continuum Model
Wellbeing Ways
Two high-traffic walking paths in our town now feature signs teaching about the 5 Ways to Wellbeing. Walk Wellbeing Ways through Gordon Moore Park in the Valley District, and the corridor path from Emerson Drive to Switzer Drive, in the Hill district. There's a great video about the 5 Ways to Wellbeing here:
connect
keep learning
keep learning
Be Active
Give to Others
keep learning
Take Notice
Give to Others
Give to Others
Give to Others
Give to Others
Give to Others
Mental Health Continuum Model
The Mental Health Continuum Model teaches us the spectrum of wellness. Each stage of the model, (green, yellow, orange and red) lists symptoms and behaviours, with suggestions to help you find support or practices to get you back into the green!
The Pocket Model
The Pocket Model is a compact, foldable Continuum model to keep in your bag, desk or car for easy access. Revisit it often to to a self-check, or to consider symptoms/behaviours in loved-ones. You might be the helper they need to seek support for a mental health injury.
The Magnet
The Magnet
Another handy tool to keep your wellness in mind and consider your self care practices, or reaching out for help when you need it.