Alberta Blue Cross® joins Canadian Mental Health Association Calgary Region (CMHA Calgary) to support established YouthSMART mental health initiative

JOINT MEDIA RELEASE
Monday, September 14, 2026
For immediate release

For more than 10 years, CMHA Calgary’s YouthSMART (Youth Supporting Mental Health and Resiliency Together) has brought mental health learning opportunities to schools, community youth groups and sport leagues across Calgary and area.

Alberta Blue Cross® is joining CMHA Calgary as a new funding and community partner, supporting the continued delivery and growth of YouthSMART’s free workshops and resources. YouthSMART offers age-appropriate, interactive learning opportunities for young people aged 8 to 24, delivered in person and virtually. Sessions help participants understand stress and healthy coping, build mental health awareness, strengthen skills for supporting others and learn where to turn for help.

According to CMHA, youth ages 12 to 24 are among the most underserved population in regard to mental health and addictions in Alberta.

“Young people should not have to navigate mental health challenges without the knowledge or confidence to ask for support,” said Linda McLean, executive director of CMHA Calgary. “Alberta Blue Cross’s investment will help us strengthen YouthSMART’s long-standing impact by creating more opportunities for young people to build practical skills, challenge stigma and feel better equipped to support themselves and others.”

Through the partnership, Alberta Blue Cross® is helping sustain free access to YouthSMART’s facilitated workshops and learning resources, supporting the initiative’s continued reach to young people and those who support them across Calgary and area.

“As a champion for wellbeing for Albertans, Alberta Blue Cross is excited to team up with the CMHA Calgary region to promote youth mental health,” says Brian Geislinger, senior vice-president of Corporate Relations with Alberta Blue Cross. “And as a parent, I know firsthand how important it is to make mental health supports accessible to our children and youth.”

During the most recent reporting period, YouthSMART continued to demonstrate measurable impact:

• YouthSMART delivered 406 sessions across schools, sport leagues and youth groups, generating 10,895 participant contacts;
• 91 per cent of participants reported knowing how to access mental health support for themselves or others;
• 93 per cent said they could identify their internal and external stressors;
• 94 per cent reported understanding suicide risk factors; and
• 88 per cent said they could explain the stigma around mental illness.

YouthSMART’s facilitated workshops are available free of charge to local schools, community youth groups and sport leagues serving young people aged 8 to 24, as well as parents and caregivers. Interested individuals can visit youthsmart.ca for resources and program information, or email education@cmha.calgary.ab.ca to ask a question or schedule a facilitated workshop.

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About Alberta Blue Cross

Alberta Blue Cross is a lifelong partner in health and wellbeing, helping people and organizations navigate life’s meaningful moments with clarity, care and confidence. For more than 75 years, we’ve supported individuals, employers, communities and governments through coverage and guidance to help people live well. Rooted in Alberta, we invest locally in initiatives that strengthen the communities we serve.

About YouthSMART

Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Calgary’s YouthSMART initiative (Youth Supporting Mental Health and Resiliency Together) integrates mental health learning opportunities in local junior and senior high schools, as well as youth community groups. Operating for over a decade, and reaching close to 25,000 young people each year, YouthSMART provides mental health education, proven to generate an awareness of mental health topics, combat stigma, and encourage appropriate help seeking behaviours amongst Calgary and area youth.

For more information, please contact Jaclyn Spurrell, manager, Corporate Communications, Alberta Blue Cross at jspurrel@ab.bluecross.ca or Drew Scherban, senior manager, Communications and Fund Development, CMHA Calgary at drew.scherban@cmha.calgary.ab.ca.