For over 150 years, the Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Montréal (IUSMM) has been a vital support system for individuals living with mental health challenges in Montreal’s East Island. Today, the demand for care continues to grow, and we must act.
Through the Rising Together campaign, FIUSMM is mobilizing the community to improve access to care, support clinical research, and offer innovative solutions that transform lives. Every donation makes a real impact, bringing hope to thousands of people.
The East Island (CIUSSS-EMTL and IUSMM’s service area) represents 26% of Montreal’s population.
It is economically more disadvantaged than any other area in Montreal.
The prevalence of mental illness in this region is 10.3%, compared to 9.4% in Montreal overall. The suicide mortality rate is 10.8 per 100,000, slightly higher than 10.5 in Montreal.
“I rely on social assistance, so I don’t have much money. And prices just keep rising! Groceries, my bus pass, everything is more expensive. It’s hard to make it to the end of the month with enough food. I’ve been living at the Du Marché residence for a while now, and when staff tell us there will be a community meal at the end of the month, provided by the Foundation, I feel happy. It’s my only chance to treat myself and eat at a ‘restaurant.’ It makes me proud, and it means more than you can imagine.”
With your support, FIUSMM funds numerous projects that improve the daily lives of patients and their loved ones.
Funding community meals, social activities, and initiatives such as art therapy, animal therapy, and physical activity programs to help patients manage anxiety.
Developing new tools and practices that open up new paths to recovery.
Providing material support so that the most vulnerable patients can rebuild their lives with dignity (food bank, holiday giving campaign, help returning to school or work, support for independent living).
The IUSMM Crisis Center provides temporary refuge for individuals in acute mental distress or psychosocial crisis, helping them regain balance before reintegrating into the community. Supported by the Résolution Mobile Team, which operates 24/7 and offers at-home follow-ups, this unique model has inspired 21 similar teams across Quebec, reducing hospitalizations and improving suicide prevention across the province.
“For three days, I received the support I needed to pause and regain control of my life. Basic things like eating and getting out of bed had become overwhelming. (…) The Crisis Center team probably saved my life. Thank you all!”
We are proud to count on the support of Véronique Racanelli, President of the Lise and Giuseppe Racanelli Foundation, and Isabelle Foisy, President and Founder of Point Cardinal, as ambassadors for this campaign. Thanks to their dedication, we are opening new doors and mobilizing a network of allies ready to make a difference.
A heartfelt thank you to these incredible women!
Every action counts. Join the movement and help make mental health a priority.
