The earlier in life that children receive treatment for psychological issues, the less likely it is that those issues will resurface in adulthood, say Bill Holmes and Harry Wierenga, two financial advisors who support groups that help youth with mental health issues.

“There’s a lot of stigma around mental illness and not a lot of people understand it,” says Holmes, vice president and portfolio manager with Toronto-based RBC Dominion Securities Inc. in Oakville, Ont.

Holmes volunteers his time as a board member for the Reach Out Centre For Kids in nearby Burlington, Ont., a foundation that sponsors and organizes programs for kids with mental health issues.

The 35-year-old ROCK, which Holmes joined in 1997, provides more than 30 mental health programs for children and youth, including individual and group therapy. ROCK also offers psychological assessments and prevention programs such as “youth aiding youth,” in which troubled kids are paired with older mentors.

Although Holmes had helped out with ROCK for a number of years, it wasn’t until 2009, when he attended a seminar for parents on children’s anxiety, that he came to fully appreciate its impact. “Anxiety, at the outset, isn’t a severe form of mental illness,” he says. “But if it’s not treated properly, it can become more severe. Attending that workshop showed me the stigmas around mental illness and how important it is that ROCK be out there working with the community.”

Creating awareness of children’s mental health is also the reason Wierenga, vice president and regional director in Vancouver for BMO Harris Private Banking, Bank of Montreal’s wealth management arm, is on the board of directors of Kids Help Phone.

Wierenga, who joined the board of the Vancouver chapter of KHP in 2001, also emphasizes early intervention. KHP allows kids, teens and young adults to dial a 24-hour, toll-free hotline for confidential counselling for a range of problems, including bullying, abuse and suicidal thinking.

“The majority of kids calling in are looking to validate their feelings about an issue and trust that they aren’t alone in dealing with it,” says Wierenga, who notes that only about 30% of the calls are classified as life-threatening, such as someone contemplating suicide. “Without [KHP], those ‘normal’ issues could escalate into something larger.”

Prior to getting involved with these organizations, both Holmes and Wierenga had no idea how widespread mental illness was among youth. According to ROCK statistics, one in five children has a mental health issue. “The earlier these kids get treatment, the more beneficial the impact on society,” says Holmes.

Wierenga agrees: “Kids Help Phone has been credited with preventing suicides. When a child is in distress or thinking about it, they can phone in and get help immediately.”

Holmes’s goal is to make ROCK financially independent. Before ROCK became a foundation in 2008, it was a charity that was required by tax laws to spend all of its donations every year. Holmes, among others, helped create the foundation, which now holds $700,000 in its endowment fund. The aim is to reach $7 million. Wierenga also toils on the financial side, acting as the regional chairman for KHP’s fundraising campaign in British Columbia: launched in 2004, the final goal is $7.5 million. BMO made a gift of $2 million in 2007.

Wierenga, his wife and three daughters get directly involved, donning costumes for the annual Vancouver Boolathon in October, a Halloween-themed bowling fundraiser. His daughters also give high-school speeches on behalf of KHP. “Seeing my own daughters involvement,” Wierenga says, “has added to my passion for the cause.” IE