By Brenda Sawatzky  Local Journalism Initiative Reporter In 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the provincial government launched two virtual pilot projects to reach people in a state of mental health crisis in rural and remote Manitoba. Today, those virtual programs have garnered enough success that the province is committing $2.4 million annually to streamline them into one, calling it the Rural Emergent Telepsychiatry and Integrated Virtual Ward Program. “Stress related to the COVID-19 pandemic has increased mental health issues across Manitoba and Canada,” says Mental Health and Community Wellness Minister Janice Morley-Lecomte. “And Manitobans in rural communities and First Nations face distinct challenges in accessing the services they need, when and where they need them. We are investing in an innovative initiative that allows these individuals timely access to crisis

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