NewsToGo
OPDI NewsToGo Issue #222 - May 29, 2009
1. Mental Health And Addictions Committee Hearings Summary
Courtesy of CAMH, we are able to bring up synopses of the legislative committee hearings into mental health and addictions. We have enclosed summaries of the May 13th and 27th for your information. You will able to read the entire proceedings using the available hyperlink below:
select_committee_summary13may09.pdf
Select_Committee_summary_27May09.pdf
2. Ontario’s 10-Year Strategic Health Care Plan Under Fire
The Progressive Conservative health critic claims that the Ontario government’s 10-year strategic health care plan is 2 years behind schedule and wants assurances that services will not be cut:
http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5iTpyPImfUMukNjg508bXhVtJW6Eg
3. Congratulations to T.E.A.C.H.!
T.E.A.C.H. (Teach, Empower, Advocate for Community Health) is an Halton Region consumer/survivor initiative. It is the recipient of a $225,000 grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation over the next three years.
This will enable T.E.A.C.H. to focus on developing CSI services in Burlington and Oakville such as Self-Esteem groups, Managing Anxiety Workshops, and Recovery Programs. In addition, valued consumer volunteers will be recruited and trained as co-facilitators for such groups and as Peer Mentors to other consumers.
4. A-Way Express 22nd Anniversary Fundraising Event (repeat)
We have attached the flyer for this Friday, June 5th event to raise money for the Applause Gallery Café, a place for musicians, singers-songwriters, poets, painters, and writers – and to create new jobs for mental health survivors.
For more information, please check out the attached poster.
A-Way_Poster_22nd_Anniversary.pdf
5. Canada Post Foundation for Mental Health Funding Application
The deadline to apply is this coming Friday, June 5, 2009.
http://www.canadapostfoundation.org/apply_now.html
Please note: you have to MAIL your application!
6. Supportive Housing for Addictions Paper
The OFCMHAP (“The Federation”), AO (Addictions Ontario), and CAMH (Centre for Addiction and Mental Health) have put out this enclosed document as a response to the MOHLTC’s stated commitment to develop supportive housing services for persons with lived experience of substance use.
SUPPORTIVE_HOUSING_FOR_ADDICTIONS_FINAL-_May_2009.pdf
7. Salvation Army Report on Homelessness and a Housing Strategy
This simple and stark 8-page document outlines the statistical reality of homelessness among males in Canada and makes a declarative plea for a solution:
http://salvationarmy.ca/documents/salvationarmy_homelessness_study.pdf
8. E-Health Strategy and Social Equity
The Wellesley Institute has recently published a discussion document about Ontario’s provincial e-health strategy. It cautions that greater attention must be paid to the issue of social equity, and defines some issues such as access, systemic barriers, and reducing health disparities for marginalized populations that need to be considered. Of interest to mental health stakeholders is their take on how diabetes management can be more positively impacted if an equity-driven approach is taken:
9. ICES Studies on Psychiatric Care Access and Primary Care Access
Two recent research findings by ICES (the Ontario-based Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences) are worth mentioning.
The first concludes that individuals with higher socio-economic standing are more likely to be able to access mental health services:
http://www.ices.on.ca/webpage.cfm?site_id=1&org_id=77&item_id=5578&morg_id=0&gsec_id=5578
The second finds that primary care physicians who are paid under the newer Family Health Network and Family Health Group structures (where there are patient rosters) are actually seeing fewer new patients, seem to be attracting a generally healthier cohort, but that their clients are still using more emergency department services (because they are providing less after-hours coverage):
A plain language summary and media article is available also:
http://www.ices.on.ca/file/AAG_05-09.pdf
http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2009/05/26/ontario-family-doctors.html
10. OMHAKEN April 2009 E-newsletter and Introduction
The current issue of the OMHAKEN e-newsletter is attached for your information. We have also enclosed a two-page summary refreshing your memory on the mandate of the network with hyperlinks and contact information.
OMHAKEN_Newsletter_April_2009.pdf
11. CAMH and Paul Beeston
The unpublicized link between the mental health and addictions institution and the CEO of the Toronto Blue Jays is highlighted here:
12. American Psychiatric Association Updating “Bible of Mental Health”
This article describes the ongoing process of updating the DSM-IV manual of psychiatric disorders. A link at the end of the article takes you to the APA website and a video roundtable discussion also:
http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/APA/14270
13. Hamilton Crisis Intervention Team Wins Award
COAST (Crisis Outreach and Support Team) combines mobile crisis intervention and police personnel; it won the Kaiser Foundation’s Mental Health and Addictions award:
http://www.thespec.com/News/Local/article/572015
14. Art, Recovery and Creativity Event (Toronto)
We have attached a poster of an event on Tuesday, June 9th hosted by Alternatives. The co-authors of “Committed to the Sane Asylum:
Narratives on Mental Wellness and Healing” will present and then allow for audience discussion.
art_and_recovery_presentation_and_discussion.June9_.pdf
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Thanks for reading!
The Staff of OPDI
NewsToGo is OPDI’s e-mail update providing timely and meaningful information to its stakeholders. The ideas expressed are those of the individual contributors and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of OPDI. We welcome your submissions; please direct them to (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). Preference will be given to material which directly relates to OPDI member affiliates and issues of concern to consumer/survivors throughout Ontario. We reserve the right to edit the length and style of all materials submitted. The current and back issues of NewsToGo can be found at http://www.opdi.org.
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