An Alberta Health Services program is sending out positive messages to the smart phones of participants, in an effort to encourage a healthy outlook.

The Text4Mood program is a free supportive text messaging program, and was launched in mid-January in northern Alberta. The project was launched by Fort McMurray psychiatrist and Associate Clinical Professor with the Department of Psychiatry at the U of A Dr. Vincent Agyapong, in partnership with Alberta Health Services North Zone Addiction and Mental Health.

Those who sign up receive one or two positive text messages each day, it was designed to help people with mental health issues, but the program is open to all northern Albertans.

The Director of Addiction and Mental Health for the AHS North Zone Debra Samek said Text4Mood is not meant to replace therapies or interventions, but is meant to act as support for an existing care plan.

“We see a lot of people who are struggling with depression and this is just another service to offer them,” Samek said in a press release.

The service is private and confidential.

Albertans can sign up for the program by texting the word ‘MOOD’ to 760-670-3130.

Call Health Link at 811 for more information on mental health services in your area.