Surge in overnight calls to Kids Help Phone ‘a canary in the coal mine,’ CEO says
Kids Help Phone says the number of young people reaching out to the service overnight is increasing. It said it has seen a 24 per cent increase in overnight requests.
The number of support requests Kids Help Phone, an e-mental health service in Canada, receives at night is on the rise, with a 183 per cent increase in text requests between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. eastern time compared to daytime requests, according to the organization's CEO, Rebecca Shields. The data, which includes information up to June 30, also shows a 24 per cent increase in overnight requests for help compared to the previous year, with the increase continuing into June 2022.
Shields stated that the surge in overnight calls could be a "canary in the coal mine" warning sign, noting that many callers have relationship-related concerns, depression, and hopelessness, and that stressors such as geopolitical events and affordability concerns are contributing factors. The rate of increase varies by province, with Yukon experiencing the highest increase at 64 per cent.
Other provinces reporting increases include Nunavut, Northwest Territories, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Ontario, Quebec, and Manitoba. Dr. Jo Ann Unger, a clinical psychologist with Shared Health in Manitoba, attributed the increase to current events and the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on youth mental health.
The B.C. Ministry of Health emphasized the need for early intervention and prevention, as well as expanding support services for young people, including Foundry centres and Integrated Child and Youth teams.
Written by urgent.news from Global News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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