Home / Health / Project Resilience 911 Expands to Northern Manitoba
Project Resilience 911 Expands to Northern Manitoba
5 Feb
Summary
- Peer-support group Project Resilience 911 now serves northern Manitoba.
- Focus is on closing mental health gaps for emergency workers.
- Expansion includes training peers and connecting them to clinicians.
A peer-support initiative, Project Resilience 911, co-founded by Amanda Griffith Conway, has expanded its services to northern Manitoba. Launched in 2020, the program connects first responders with peers who understand the cumulative trauma inherent in their work. This expansion aims to close crucial mental health gaps for emergency workers, particularly those in remote areas.
The initiative formalizes informal support networks, providing training to peers and connecting them with clinicians familiar with emergency services culture. This structured approach enhances crisis response capabilities and offers preventative mental health education. The expansion into The Pas was facilitated by grant funding and a formal request from the local fire department.
The Pas Fire Chief Byron Shangraw highlighted the urgent need for such services in the north, noting the limited access to mental health resources and the significant distances to specialized care. Project Resilience 911 is now building a localized, multi-disciplinary peer-support network in The Pas, encompassing fire, EMS, police, and health services.
Grady Stephenson, who shared his experience with PTSD after a major bus crash, is a key figure in the program. His involvement underscores the healing power of peer support and the importance of open conversations about trauma. Project Resilience 911 has a history of providing debriefing sessions after critical incidents, aiming to help individuals process their experiences and reduce feelings of isolation.
