A new online program in the province will aim- to help those with mild to moderate anxiety or depression.

Phyllis O’Connor, Executive Director of the Canadian Mental Health Association’s Saskatchewan Division says the BounceBack program has been running for several years in BC, Manitoba, and Ontario and recently was rolled out across the country. O’Connor says people can self refer with a family physician or doctor willing to sign on if extra care is needed. Once registered and approved people can access different modules to help with their recovery process, and they are paired up with an online mental health coach or mentor.

O’Connor says it is something easy to do from the comfort of home, but solidly based on cognitive behaviour therapy. Which she says has been an effective way of treated mild to moderate depression. She adds where some people might hesitate to go to directly to a counselor, this gives them a way to get help in a safe place, especially during the pandemic.

Currently the program is offered only to adults in the province, but O’Connor says in about a month or so a youth edition of the Bounceback program will be launched.

O’Connor says a major donation of $1 million from Bell Let’s Talk enabled the rest of the country to be added to the BounceBack program, including Saskatchewan.