One door at a time, this brigade in Laval, Que., offers bridges to much-needed resources

Gervais Chendjou says the most important thing is to listen when he and his team are out in the community, going door-to-door to check in with residents.

"Sometimes you knock on the door and realize this citizen spends maybe six months without any good discussion," he said.

Chendjou is the co-ordinator of a brigade in Laval, Que., just north of Montreal, that is knocking on doors seven days a week, offering an open ear and information about mental health services and other resources in the area.

The brigade got its start in May 2021 as an effort to raise awareness about the importance of the COVID-19 vaccine and following public health guidelines. It was started by the local health agency, the CISSS de Laval. 

The brigade is now operating under a new mandate, with a new name, in partnership with the non-profit organization, Coopérative de soutien à domicile de Laval — a group that offers support to those who are less independent. 

Quebec's Health Ministry is funding the project for the next four years.

The Brigade sensibilisation Laval (Laval Awareness Brigade) aims to help the community deal with the repercussions of the pandemic and to improve the psychological well-being of the population in a pandemic and post-pandemic context, the CISSS said in a news release.

More than 73,000 Laval residents were met by the COVID-19 brigade during the pandemic, the release said, and from its inception, the team saw the damage the pandemic was doing to the population's mental health.

The awareness brigade will meet with people and refer them to resources such as health-care facilities and community organizations. It will also work to prevent, detect and offer early intervention services related to psychosocial issues, the CISSS says.

And the brigade does it all in seven different languages.

After nearly three years of pandemic, people may be feeling isolated or cut off from society. While they may not be asking for help, they may still be in need of human connection, the health agency says.

It begins with a "how are you?" and is usually a quick conversation but "sometimes they crack and say, 'I don't feel good. I don't know how to come back to my life before,'" said Geneviève Levac, a community organizer with the CISSS.

"Everybody wants to talk," she said. "Everybody has their own story."

Chantal Auclair, who specializes in social geriatrics with the co-operative, said most people don't know about all the organizations operating in the area.

There are more than 600 organizations in Laval for just about everything, she noted, like those that offer food relief or youth support.

Laval resident Denis Croteau said he welcomes the personal approach.

"It keeps us up to date," he said. "It's fun. It's pleasant. It's nice. It's a good initiative.