CAMH Mental Health and Addiction 101: Now in French

CAMH’s award-winning series of 15 easy-to-use web tutorials, Mental Health and Addiction 101 , is now available in French . Topics range from basic introductions to addiction and mental health to depression, schizophrenia, older adults, harm reduction and addressing stigma. A new module dedicated to problem gambling is the most recent addition to the series.

“Hundreds of thousands of people around the world have accessed the series in English since it was launched in 2008 and just as many French users are expected,” says Louise LaRocque-Stuart, Program Consultant with CAMH Provincial Services based in Sault Ste. Marie.

Based on reports tracking use of the modules from around the world, CAMH Education Specialist Mark Fernley who oversaw the interactive design and development of the modules, also has reason to believe that the modules will be a very effective tool for the Francophone populations.

“Within Canada, there is high demand in Quebec and in Ontario’s French population, so I believe the French version of MHA 101 will reach a wide audience.” Mark also notes that in addition to the newly added problem gambling module, a module on Diversity is being developed in both English and French.

“The fact that it’s online is exciting to us because it’s accessible and can be easily used by anyone who needs to learn more about these issues. We’re very pleased to now offer the series in French to reach an even wider audience,” says Betty Dondertman, CAMH Manager of Education Services, which developed the series.

Creating the modules in French took about a year and included a variety of processes to ensure cultural competence and accuracy. Louise was instrumental in facilitating all the translations for the tutorials. “Some  themes and concepts from the English version did not translate properly. Once these were worked out, we used French-speaking CAMH staff as a focus group to ensure we were getting the proper message across,” says Louise.

“Review sheets given to the participants revealed there were a few phrases still not right so Evelyn Barthes McDonald, from French Language Services was able to correct the minor edits. We wanted to make sure we did everything possible to make the French modules culturally competent for our audience,” adds Mark.

The MHA 101 tutorials take about 20 minutes to complete. They are a starting point for understanding substance use and mental health problems, as well as reducing stigma, which is often associated with limited knowledge and ignorance.  Ideal for school counsellors, teachers, social service workers, people facing a mental health or addiction challenge, and their families and many others. The modules include ‘myth-challenges’ and 'try-it' activities and are a fun, quick and easy way to test your knowledge and learn more. “They’re a great introduction for people wanting to learn more and a good refresher for anyone working in the field,” Mark says.

 

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