TC Energy Sponsorship of ASIST Programming
The Canadian Mental Health Association Alberta Southeast Region (CMHA ASER) is pleased to announce that thanks to a generous donation by TC Energy all suicide intervention training programs offered by CMHA ASER will be provided at no cost to participants for the remainder of the year.
Regarded as the world’s leading suicide intervention training program, LivingWorks Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) teaches participants how to prevent suicide by recognizing signs, providing a skilled intervention, and supporting the development of a safety plan to keep someone alive.
The program has been updated regularly in its 35 years of existence and requires highly trained professionals to deliver the content. CMHA ASER’s Breanne Mellen is one such individual, serving as the Suicide Prevention Program Coordinator in the Alberta Southeast Region for the past seven years. While Mellen has an extensive resume of education and experience, she emphasizes that suicide prevention techniques are for everyone, “Becoming suicide aware and interacting with individuals who are experiencing thoughts of suicide are skills that anyone in our community can learn, regardless of their background.”
A dedicated ambassador in the field of mental health, Mellen is pleased that these training opportunities are becoming even more accessible, “With these funds from TC Energy, we will be able to provide Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) to community members who may not have considered taking them before. We are thankful for the opportunity to enhance the capacity of our community to effectively help someone who is considering suicide.”
For her own part, Executive Director of CMHA ASER, Sandra Milne, agrees with that sentiment, “Anyone in the community who was thinking about taking a suicide awareness workshop (ASIST) can now do so at no cost; how amazing is that! Thank you for your generosity TC Energy, and for your commitment to mental wellness in our Region. We look forward to facilitating the workshops and continuing the conversation.”
Representatives from TC Energy were pleased with the response from the CMHA ASER team, and are looking forward to seeing the results of this sponsorship initiative, as members of the community enroll and participate in ASIST workshops in the coming months. “Wherever life happens — we’re there.” This sentiment is part of TC Energy’s culture because they know that building long-lasting relationships and investing in the communities where they live and work will help build a stronger future. Whether providing grants to organizations, awarding scholarships to students or sponsoring a local event that brings people together, their goal is to help build strong, vibrant communities through mutually beneficial relationships.
CMHA ASER currently has three ASIST workshops scheduled for the remainder of the year (Sept. 16–17, Oct. 14–15, Nov. 25–26). Each of these interactive, two-day sessions will certify participants in suicide intervention for three years. All Southeast Alberta residents are invited to participate for free thanks to funding from TC Energy. More information and registrations for these and other workshops are available online (mentalwellnessmatters.ca) or by contacting the CMHA ASER office (, ).