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Public Policy

The Canadian Mental Health Association is the only association in Canada that addresses all aspects of mental health and mental illness. We promote and advocate through strong connections we forge with policymakers, mental health consumers and their families, educators, the media, stakeholders and other service providers.

CMHA’s National office influences public policy at the federal level with a multi-faceted approach that includes strengthening our relationship with government officials and politicians. In addition, we focus on the ongoing submission of briefs and presentations to Standing Committees on Finance, Health, Human Resources Development, Justice and others.

CMHA Policy Statements articulate the general principles and recommendations relating to a particular issue which are endorsed by the CMHA.

Income Security and Productivity

Income security is a key determinant of health related to the mental health of communities. Canadian and international studies support the role income security plays in defining the socio-economic status and its relation to health outcomes. Those representing higher social and economic strata are more likely to experience more positive states of (mental) health and […]Continue readingIncome Security and Productivity

Community Committal

For some time now, the CMHA has struggled with the issue of community committal or compulsory community treatment. Proposed as an alternative or a supplement to involuntary hospitalization, community committal has strong support from family groups and the psychiatric profession. Many consumer groups are as strongly opposed. Views on community committal are influenced by personal […]Continue readingCommunity Committal

Violence Towards People with Mental Health Problems

In 1993 CMHA conducted a cross-Canada study of violence towards people with mental health problems. The study focused on people who had experienced violence after becoming consumers of mental health services. It identified that the homes, public places and hospitals are the places where violence is most often experienced by people with mental health problems, […]Continue readingViolence Towards People with Mental Health Problems

Health Research and Training Affecting Women

Mental health professionals require better training to respond to women’s mental health needs. Most training programs presently do not require coverage of gender issues nor do they even attempt to address how women’s experiences are different from men’s. Women’s biological, psychological and social needs are not part of the curriculum in professional schools, and most […]Continue readingHealth Research and Training Affecting Women

Access to Services

Access to mental health services is an issue that significantly impacts all Canadians, whether living with a mental illness or not. When the First Ministers convened this past February to discuss the long-term future of health care in Canada, improving access and quality of community mental health services was identified as one of eight priority […]Continue readingAccess to Services

Sexual Exploitation and Abuse by Mental Health Service Providers

The Canadian Mental Health Association recognizes that sexual exploitation and abuse by mental health service providers takes place. The Association also recognizes that without fail such exploitation and abuse are harmful to mental health consumers. Evidence has come from anecdotal reports, complaints to professional associations, and more recently from surveys of the general public and […]Continue readingSexual Exploitation and Abuse by Mental Health Service Providers

Women and Work

The Canadian Mental Health Association believes that social inequality has damaging consequences for women’s mental well-being. Inequalities continue to exist for Canadian women with respect to family life, education, training, employment, and decision-making roles in society. Although a small proportion of women are benefiting from policies designed to increase access to professional occupations that command […]Continue readingWomen and Work

Employment: Incentives and Accommodations

The Canadian Mental Health Association, through research and experience, has proved that people who experience mental illness can be employed successfully. Persons with mental illness can and do hold responsible jobs and make significant contributions in their work, home and leisure lives. However, not all persons who could be employed are working because they, potential […]Continue readingEmployment: Incentives and Accommodations

Advocacy and Persons with Long-Term Mental Health Problems

Since its inception over seventy years ago, the Canadian Mental Health Association has been a unique advocate for the chronically mentally ill. During the past decade, CMHA has expanded its mandate from promoting service delivery to active support of self-help initiatives and the community resource base. The protection of individual rights in therapeutic programs and […]Continue readingAdvocacy and Persons with Long-Term Mental Health Problems

Women and Mental Health

Social inequality has damaging consequences for the mental and emotional well-being of women. Throughout their lives, women may be considered “at risk” of developing emotional problems due to a host of social factors. Limited participation in public life, restricted decision-making, devalued role expectations, poverty, violence and sexual abuse undermine the potential for emotional well-being. Social […]Continue readingWomen and Mental Health