OHL Celebrates 10th season of CMHA Talk Today Program

Toronto, Ont. – The 2023-24 Ontario Hockey League (OHL) season is well underway, one in which the League is celebrating a special milestone in partnership with the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA).

The OHL and CMHA collaborated to create the Talk Today program at the outset of the 2014 season. It has developed into one of the most comprehensive mental health awareness and suicide prevention programs for amateur sports in Canada. Talk Today promotes the mental health of young athletes and spreads awareness about the benefits of positive mental health throughout communities across the country.

In addition to participating in mental health and suicide awareness workshops, OHL teams are connected to a designated CMHA Mental Health Coach, connecting them with helpful resources and support. OHL member teams also host Talk Today game days during the month of February with related social media coverage to raise awareness and reduce the stigma associated with mental health and addiction issues.

“As a founding partner of Talk Today, it’s incredible to see the program reach its 10th season in junior hockey, and inspiring to see its growth across the country,” said OHL Commissioner David Branch. “Congratulations to CMHA Ontario and the local branches across Canada that support this initiative. The OHL is very thankful for our partnership and how it has benefitted players, staff and the entire OHL community since its inception. It’s important to extend thanks and appreciation to our players, who have embraced this program and, as a result, served as a valuable resource to others in the area of mental health awareness.”

“Talk Today wouldn’t be where it is today without the leadership and support of the OHL,” said CMHA Ontario CEO Camille Quenneville.  “We’re proud to see how the program has evolved over the past 10 seasons, we’re thankful for all our partners across Canadian junior hockey, and we’re honoured to continue working with teams and leagues across the country. The OHL and their teams have been essential to Talk Today’s success and we cannot express enough how much we appreciate their continued support for the program.” 

Since 2014, nearly 8,600 individuals across Canada, including 2,194 members of the OHL community, have received mental health and suicide awareness training through the program. The vast majority of individuals trained are athletes (7,598), but coaches (381), staff (217), billets and parents (400) have also participated in training, helping to create cultures of openness within athlete support networks.

For more information about Talk Today, visit www.talktoday.ca and subscribe to the new Talk Today podcast on your preferred podcast app. The latest episode features OHL Commissioner David Branch.

About the Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League is a proud member of the Canadian Hockey League which is the world’s largest development hockey league with 60 teams in nine Canadian provinces and four American states. In addition to the OHL, the CHL is made up of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and the Western Hockey League. The CHL supplies more players to the National Hockey League and U SPORTS than any other league. For more information, visit ontariohockeyleague.com.

About the Canadian Mental Health Association, Ontario:
Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), Ontario is a not-for-profit, charitable organization funded by the provincial government. We work to improve the lives of all Ontarians through leadership, collaboration and continual pursuit of excellence in community-based mental health and addictions services. Our vision is a society that embraces and invests in the mental health of all people. We are a trusted advisor to government, contributing to health systems development through policy formulation and recommendations that promote positive mental health. To donate or learn more, please visit ontario.cmha.ca.