North Glengarry Fire Chief Matthew Roy reported to council that the department would be applying for $25,000 from the Mental Health Supports for Public Safety Personnel (MHS4PSP) Grant Program.
This grant would be used for mental health services offered by Warrior Health, which offers on-demand resources for Ontario first responders and their families.
The anonymous, 24/7 access allows trauma-exposed, public safety staff to have programs and resources at their immediate reach, suitable for themselves and their families, to help reduce mental health stress stigma.
Warrior Health offers two streams of support in its program: Core Services are free for public safety personnel and Fee-for-Service that public safety organizations, such as North Glengarry Fire Services, can purchase for their team to access. The $25,000 grant needs to be used by March 2026 and would be put towards the fee-for-service stream, allowing North Glengarry to develop resources for training its firefighters.
The training program can be accessed both in-person and online, helping leaders develop and establish support systems for first-responders as they deal with mental stress related to trauma experienced while on the job. In addition, the Warrior Health programs assist in dealing with numerous stress-related issues such as addictions, sleep disorders and poor nutrition for public safety personnel and help ensure a healthy return to work.
All members of council supported the application for the grant. Councillor At Large Jacques Massie suggested council consider funding Warrior Health through future budgets to accommodate costs associated with the program once the funding has expired, recognizing the importance of caring for North Glengarry’s firefighting team and all emergency staff.